Fireflies
by Zane's Girl- Jo
Summary: "Did I make the right choice, the Army?" "If you'd never been in the Army, you never would've come to Eureka; & we wouldn't have the life we have. I can't imagine my life w/o you, Jojo." What if Jo hadn't gone into the Army? If she hadn't come to Eureka? Would she & Zane be together? NOT tied into DWM universe; started as prompt from last paragraph of my fic The Strong Are The Few.
1. Chapter 1

**************The Right Choice**

**************R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**************Summary: ****************"Did I make the right choice? Going into the Army? Did I do the right thing?" She asked. He brushed tears off her cheeks. "I know that if you'd never been in the Army, you never would have come to Eureka, and we wouldn't have the life we have now. I can't imagine my life without you, Jojo." What if Jo _hadn't_ gone into the Army? If she _hadn't_ come to Eureka? Would she and Zane still be together? NOT tied into the DWM universe, but started as a writing prompt from the last paragraph of my fic _The Strong Are Few_. **

_"If you'd never been in the Army, you never would have come to Eureka, and we wouldn't have the life we have now. I can't imagine my life without you, Jojo."_

_- Zane, The Strong Are Few_

The music of Tchaikovsky's _Arabian_ floated throughout the dance studio, and the pair playing the roles of the Arabian Coffee- the Prince and Princess of Arabia in the Land of Sweets- entered the studio, parting their attendants, who fled offstage as the pair began their pas de duex. Her bound feet touched down to the stage, and she began what little dance was in the pas de duex. The majority of the Arabian Coffee scene was lifts and tricks, not the typical Pointe dancing that the show centered around.

Though the Arabian was perhaps the most beautiful dance in the show- and the pair dancing the roles were equally beautiful together- making the dance all that more exquisite. The rest of the cast gathered in the studio watched in awed silence, watching the chemistry between the pair spark and sizzle. As the dance ended and the last notes of the music faded away, a slow applause began, and the pair stood, taking their bows.

When rehearsal ended two hours later, she dashed out of the studio and down the stairs, bursting out into the muggy New York air and hailing a taxi. She clambered into the taxi, headed home to her apartment. Once she reached her apartment building, she burst through into her apartment door, headed for her laptop. It was nine-fifteen, and she was late. She'd be lucky to catch her; most likely, she was sound asleep.

"Come on, come on. Pick up."

"Hello?" A smile lit her face as her pen pal appeared on the screen. The girl looked half asleep, her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail.

"Hey Zoe! Sorry, did I wake you?"

"Jo!" The girl was instantly wide awake, a look of pure elation on her face. "What took you so long? I've been waiting for hours!"

"Sorry, Zo. Rehearsal went longer than I thought." Jo yawned. "How was school?"

The girl shrugged. "Brainiacs, exams, the usual. You know." Jo nodded, getting up and going into her adjacent kitchen to fix a cup of tea. She listened as the teenager talked, adding honey and lemon juice to her cup and stirring before returning to her desk. "... So, how was rehearsal?"

Jo shrugged. "It was good. Numb toes, lifts, bitchy ballerinas, the usual."

"When are you going to let me come visit you in New York?" Jo sipped her tea for a moment.

"You'll have to talk to your dad about that, Zo. I don't know whether he'd like it if you came to stay in New York with some stranger you've never met before and started talking to through your class's penpal program."

The girl rolled her eyes. "I'm sure dad will-"

"Zoe, I said lights-" The girl turned to see her dad enter the room. "What... what are you doing?" He cried, entering the room.

"Dad! I... I was just talking to Jo-"

"Jo? Who the hell is this Jo?" He asked, going to the computer. "Who are you?" Jo backed away as the man got right into the webcam.

"Dad, this is Jo. My penpal. From my class's penpal program. She's a ballerina with the New York Ballet." The girl said, as her dad moved her out of the way and took her seat.

"I want to know who you really are before I let you talk to my daughter!" The man cried; slowly, Jo scooted closer to the desk.

"What do you want to know, Mr. Carter?"

"You don't have to go through the third degree, Jo-" Zoe started.

"Back off Zoe!" Carter snapped; the teen plopped onto her bed, watching. "Who are you? Are you really a ballerina? Do you really live in New York? I want to know everything."

Jo sighed. "Fine. My name is... Josefina Kathleen Lupo; I'm twenty-four, and I'm a prima ballerina with the New York Ballet Company. Um... I grew up in a military family, my dad was a colonel- Army, as are my three older brothers. My mom passed away when I was ten, and I dove into dance. Got accepted to Juillard at thirteen and became an Corphyee with the New York Ballet at fifteen. Zoe and I met through Telsa's pen pal program."

Carter listened, letting the information sink in. "Prove it."

"What?"

"Prove that you're really a ballerina."

"Dad!" Zoe cried, getting up. Jo stared at him, shocked, before shaking her head.

"Okay." And she got up, going to her sofa and pulling her pointe shoes on. "Well?" Carter shook his head.

"Dance a little."

"Dad, stop!"

"If you're really a ballerina, you'll do a little of your... foot dancing stuff." Carter said, nodding towards her feet.

"Fine. What do you want me to dance to?"

"I don't care, just dance." After a moment, Jo went to her stereo and slipped a cd into the player. She flipped through the listing, before landing on one and pulling off her jacket. Then, she went to the middle of her living room and did a few quick warm up exercises, before going into the dance for the Arabian. Carter's mouth fell open and Zoe watched in amazement as Jo went through the motions of her pas de deux sans her partner. The ease and rhythm with which she moved was fluid, graceful, and the young ballerina soon became lost in the music. Eventually, she stopped, turning the music off and walking towards the webcam en pointe.

"Happy now?" Jo asked, raising an eyebrow. "Hello? Mr. Carter?" She glanced at Zoe, who stood behind her dad. "I think we broke him."

Zoe couldn't help giggling. "Wow, that was amazing. He has to let me come stay with you in New York now, Jo." Jo shrugged.

"I'd better get to bed. I have class tomorrow morning and then all night rehearsal, so I don't know when or if I'll be back on. Talk to you later, Zo. Nice to meet you, Mr. Carter." When she shut the webcam off, Carter turned to his daughter, snapping out of his shock.

"Well, dad? I think you owe me something."

"What?" Carter asked, confused.

"An apology- which I can pass on to Jo. Oh, and a plane ticket to New York."


	2. Chapter 2

**************R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

She tied the frayed pink ribbons on her pointe shoes, humming softly to _Arabian_.

"Ready?" She looked up, giving Mike her brightest smile. He reached out to her, and she took his hand, allowing him to help her up. But instead of him helping her to her feet, he hoisted her until she was leaning heavily against his hip, his arm wrapped around her.

"Are you?" She asked, glancing sideways at him. He smirked at her, before setting her down. The music floated around the apartment, and the two fell into the easy rhythm of the dance they'd been working so hard on.

Their bodies slid together easily, he hoisted her up before letting her go, their hands slid together as she slid down into the splits. He knelt down, wrapping his arms lightly around her waist and pulling her up, spinning quickly before setting her back on her feet. They lost themselves in the dance, letting their chemistry take over. As they finally finished the dance, they heard applause, and turned to the desk. The webcam was on, and Zoe was sitting at her desk, applauding the duo's practice. Jo pulled away from her partner, going to the desk and leaning over the desk.

"Zoe, you saw that?"

"Um... yeah and it was hot." The teen replied. "Who's the hunk?" Jo glanced over her shoulder at Mike.

"He's my... partner in the pas de deux."

"Is he more than just a dance partner?" Zoe teased, and Jo blushed. "He is! Oh, Jo you have a boyfriend!"

"I'm gonna log off now and go take a quick shower. I'll talk to you later, Zoe." And before the girl could respond, she'd turned the webcam off. "Sorry Mike. She's my... penpal." He held up his hands.

"Don't worry about it."

Back in Eureka, Zoe reluctantly signed off from her webcam and turned up her music. When Carter knocked on the door, she just cranked the music louder.

"Zoe? Zoe! Can you turn the music down?" She rolled her eyes, doing as told before turning to him. "What's with the Christmas music?"

"It's not Christmas music, dad. It's _Arabian Coffee_ from _The Nutcracker_. Jo sent me the whole show on mp3."

"You're still talking to her?" He asked.

"Why wouldn't I? She's my penpal and she's like... the coolest person in the world."

"Really? Well, did you know that she's toured all over the U.S with several different ballet companies?"

"No. But how would you-" She turned to him as he sat on her bed. "You looked her up? How could you do that?"

"Now, Zoe, I was just checking to make sure she's who she says she is." Carter replied, defending himself.

"Dad, that's an invasion of privacy! You should be arrested-"

"No, I should be thanked for doing that! I want to make sure my daughter isn't talking to any sexual deviants or predators online."

"And what did you find, Sheriff Carter?" SARAH asked; the house was admittedly on Zoe's side.

"I found... absolutely nothing." Carter muttered. "Never had a DUI, never busted for a felony, never done anything illegal, the girl's squeaky clean. So clean she comes with a lemon scent." He looked slightly upset that he'd been proven wrong.

"So, since you found nothing, does that mean that you'll buy me that plane ticket to New York?" Zoe asked hopefully. Carter glared at her. But after several minutes of silence, he nodded.

"Yes, you can spend your week in New York with your penpal."

"Yes! Thank you, Dad!" She threw her arms around him in a hug, before rushing to the computer and pulling up her webcam. She dialed Jo's number, waiting anxiously. "Jo!" The ballerina was sitting on the floor, her feet in a bucket of ice. "Jo, Dad said I could come visit!"

"That's great, Zo." Jo replied, standing and slowly pulling her feet out of the bucket. She whimpered.

"Are you okay?" Jo nodded.

"Yeah, just... a minor sprain during my practice session with Mike. The waterfall didn't exactly go as choreographed and I landed on my ankle."

"Mike? Who's this Mike?" Carter asked, popping into the frame. Jo rolled her eyes.

"Good to see you again, Sheriff Carter. And Mike is my dance partner for the Arabian pas de deux. We were practicing earlier, and a trick didn't go as planned." Jo replied, taking a seat at her desk. She slowly pulled her feet up underneath her and hissed as she pulled a sock on.

"Do you always have random men in your apartment, Ms. Lupo?" Carter asked.

"Mike is my dance partner, Sheriff. There's nothing going on between us, on or off the stage."

"Then what was the chemistry earlier?" Zoe cut in.

"Chemistry?" Carter cried.

"Zoe watched us practice." Jo clarified. "And I already told you, nothing is going on. I'm not that kind of girl. No boyfriends, no lovers, no fiances. I'm married strictly to my dance. Nothing more, nothing less." She slowly lowered her foot. "Besides, we open Friday and we need all the extra practice we can get." She yawned. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted and I have class tomorrow morning."

"What... class?" Carter asked as she got up. Jo turned back to the webcam.

"Oh, I'm taking um... psychological anatomy at NYU. My older brother Davie's just got back from Afgan and... he's going through a tough time. I... I want to be able to understand what he's going through. And help him." She gave them both a small smile, tears in her eyes. "'Night."

And without another word, she shut the computer off.


	3. Chapter 3

**************R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

"Are you sure it's wise to let Zoe fly out all the way to New York by herself, and stay with some girl she met through Telsa's pen pal program?" Allison asked, as she and Carter made their way through GD.

"I've had her checked out, Ali, she's just a girl from Jersey who works with the New York Ballet. She's playing the Arabian in The Nutcracker."

"I don't like it." Allison replied, as they drove into downtown Eureka. She didn't let the matter drop, even after pulling in front of Cafe Diem and taking a seat at the counter. "Have you seen her? Do you know what she looks like?"

"As a matter of fact, I have met her. She's a very nice girl. Young. A dancer, accepted to Julliard at thirteen." Carter said, handing Allison the files he'd secured on Jo. Allison rifled through the papers, reading everything.

"You believe her?"

"Ali, these files prove that she exists-"

"I know! I'm going to New York for a whole week with Jo!"

"You're so lucky, Zoe! If only my pen pal were that cool!" Both adults looked up to see Zoe enter with her friends and take a seat at a nearby table. "Are you going to meet any sexy New Yorkers while you're there?" Pilar asked, as Vincent brought their coffee.

"I don't know. Jo hasn't really said much about what we're- well, what I'm going to do. She's going to be performing. They opened last weekend to rave applause and reviews. She sent me an article about the show. Listen to this-" The girl cleared her throat, and began, as Allison and Carter turned to listen. "'The New York Ballet Company's opening weekend of The Nutcracker has been met with some of the highest marks in the world of ballet..." She skimmed the article, finally coming to what she wanted.

"'The highlight of the show, in this reporter's honest opinion, isn't the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy or the duet by Clara and The Prince; the highlight is the Arabian Pas De Duex in The Land of Sweets. The prince and princess, who dance Arabian Coffee as an offering to the visitors, bring all the smooth, richness of the gift they offer to this dance. Composed mainly of difficult lifts and tricks that no other dancer would dare try, the pair execute them to perfection; not a hair goes out of place with this sultry dance. Sparks as rich as the land they pretend to be from fly for this pair: Mikael Martinez and Josefina Kathleen Lupo. Their performance has many- both in the company and out- if this pair is dancing their own pas de deux after the performance ends for the night.' I want to see the whole show now."

"Are they really seeing each other?" Pilar asked. Zoe shrugged.

"Jo won't say. She refuses to admit to anything. She says she's married to her dance and nothing else. But look at this! She also sent some publicity shots."

And she proceeded to lay out several still photographs of the dancers: Russian with the flowers in their hair; French and their pink bows and tulle skirts; Spanish in the stiff red tutu, Arabian in the Jasmine inspired dark mahogany two piece.

"Is that her?" Pilar asked, snatching up the photo of the Arabian performers. Zoe nodded. "She's gorgeous! And he's hot! How can they not be dating?"

"I don't know. If they aren't, they totally should be. Could you imagine the babies they'd make? Absolutely gorgeous!"

"Hey, Zoe? Can we see those?" The teens turned to see Carter at the table. After a moment, she handed them over, and Carter gave her a small smile before returning to the counter, laying them in front of Allison. "That one's Jo." He said, pointing to the girl with the piercing dark eyes.

"She is beautiful." Allison conceded. "Are you sure about letting Zoe do this?" He thought a moment.

"No. But I trust her."


	4. Chapter 4

**************R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

"You call me when you get there! And when you get to Jo's apartment! You understand me?" Zoe rolled her eyes but nodded.

"Yes, Dad! I got it!" She replied, waving before stepping into the terminal. In a matter of minutes, the plane was leaving Oregon, bound for New York. When the teen finally stepped off the plane and into LaGuardia Airport, she looked around quickly. There wasn't a sign of Jo, who'd promised to meet her. Sighing, she followed the rest of the passengers, going down to baggage claim, before making her way through the airport to the nearest exit. She took a seat at a small table outside one of the cafes and pulled her phone, leaving a quick message for her dad, before considering what to do. Finally deciding to see if she could catch the next flight home, the sound of boots on floor reached her ears and she looked up.

A young woman in her early twenties was making her way towards her. Dressed in old jeans and a t-shirt, she had a scarf wrapped around her neck and an old sweater on, her hair pulled back in a perfect ponytail. She had a bag slung over her shoulder and something in her hand. As she got closer, Zoe realized it was Jo.

"Zoe!" The girl stood; Jo threw her arms around the younger girl, wrapping her in a tight hug. "I'm so sorry I'm late. Rehearsal ran long and traffic was hell. I would have called and left you a message or sent a text, but I didn't have your number." She pulled away, giving the girl a warm smile. "This is for you." Jo held out her hand; an I Heart NY keychain rested within her palm. "Everyone needs one on their first trip to New York." The girl took it, giving her a smile.

"I love it, thank you, Jo." Zoe said.

"Come on, I bet you're starving. How 'bout we go out to eat tonight?" Jo said, grabbing one of Zoe's bags.

"Actually, I ate on the plane. I'm not that-" But she stopped, noticing the look on Jo's face. "Sure. Introduce me to some real New York food."

"Vegitarian okay? I'm on a diet until the end of run, unfortunately." Jo said, rolling her eyes.

"As long as coffee isn't off the table." Zoe replied.

"Coffee? Hell no. Coffee's what keeps us dancers goin'. And muffins. I really want a muffin. You want a muffin? I know this great little hole-in-the-wall cafe that makes these _amazing_ muffins. It's like you're eatin' air but they're actu'lly muffins. So what'da you want to do this week? I mean besides watch me perform; that can actu'lly get pretty borin'..."

Zoe gave her a big smile; she was experiencing her first taste of New York small talk- so fast, switching from one topic to another like watching a ping pong match, with an accent so thick, most of her words couldn't be identified. As she climbed into the taxi waiting outside, Jo continued to talk, first directing the driver where to go, before proceeding to point out various buildings and tell her about the different little shops and places in and around New York. By the time they left the cafe and returned to Jo's apartment complex, Zoe was exhausted, both physically and mentally. The tiny ballerina had managed to talk her ear off, barely stopping for breath and only snapping her mouth shut for a couple minutes at most.

"The kitchen's over here. You got the bathroom in the back, the living room, and your bedroom's in the back corner, on the other side of the closet door. Sorry, it's just a studio with a loft. Nothin' fancy. It ain't the Ritz, but it's home." Jo said, tossing her jacket on the sofa. Zoe set her bags down and looked around.

"I think it's awesome." She replied, taking in the desk near the window, the loft bed, the small plush sofa and the tidy little kitchen. Jo's dance bag lay dumped onceremoniously on the floor near the small fake fireplace, which she switched on.

"It's freezin'. Are you cold? I have some cider, or cocoa I can make." Jo said, kicking off her sneakers and slipping into a pair of socks.

"Cider's fine." Zoe replied, picking up her bags. "I'm gonna go put my bags away." Jo nodded, heading to the kitchen. When Zoe stepped through the door into her bedroom, she found a small room, neat as a pin, with a twin bed, a dresser, desk, closet and small window. The bed had a dark blue comforter on it, which Zoe sank into upon sitting on it. After several minutes, she got up, going back into the main part of the apartment, to find Jo sitting cross-legged on the sofa, reading a well-worn copy of _Jane Eyre_. A steaming cup of cider sat on the counter, a stick of cinnamon tucked within the cup, and Zoe snatched it up, going to the sofa and taking a seat as Jo marked her page and closed the book.

"So what are we going to do tomorrow?" Zoe asked. Jo thought a moment.

"Well, tomorrow's my only day off. We could go sightseein'. Or shopping. It's upta you." Just as Zoe was about to reply, she yawned. Jo chuckled softly, taking the mug out of her hands and setting it on the small coffee table. "But I think you'd better go to bed. That flight probably wore you out. And I had a long day of rehearsal. I think we're both tired. Let's let some sleep, and we'll figure out what to do tomorrow."

She got up, picking up the mugs and putting them in the sink. When she turned around, Zoe was in front of her, her arms wrapping around her slender shoulders. "Thank you, Jo."

"For what?" Jo asked, the haze of the day beginning to cloud her mind.

"For letting me come visit you." The older girl gave her a small smile, rubbing her back.

"Welcome, Zo. Thank you for comin' to visit."


	5. Chapter 5

**************R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

The smell of fresh coffee wafted under her nose, and she turned around, opening her eyes to an unfamiliar apartment. She sat up; it took a while, but eventually she remembered where she was. Yawning, she climbed out of bed and made her way into the apartment; a pot of coffee sat on the counter, and Jo was sitting at the table, headphones in her ears.

"Morning." The brunette looked up, pulling the earbuds from her ears.

"Sleep well?" She asked as Zoe poured herself a cup and took a seat across from her. The girl nodded.

"Actually I did. You?" Jo shrugged.

"Yeah. Got up about five, went for a run."

_"You went for a run? Without telling me?"_ Zoe cried.

"You were sound asleep. I wasn't gonna distrub you." She set her cup down. "Besides, I was back before you woke up anyway."

"Oh." The two sat in silence. "So... what are we doing today?" Jo thought a moment.

"Want to go to the Lower East Side?"

Two hours later, after wandering through Little Italy and Chinatown, the girls were making their way through The Lower East Side; Zoe becoming entirely engrossed in the hustle and bustle of this area. The scents and sounds alone were enough to make her head spin, and she kept close to Jo, latching onto her hand to keep from getting seperated. "Where are we going, Jo?"

"It's only a little further now. It's a little dance store; I get all my shoes and things here. They're entirely local and completely trustworthy. All the dancers come here. Katila runs the store; you'll like her."

"Katila?"

"Her real name's Katherine, but she goes by Katila. She used to be a dancer with the company, and when she retired, she opened her own shop."

The bell jangled over the door as Jo entered, pulling Zoe along.

"'Tila? 'Tila!"

An older woman in her early forties came bustling into the store, dressed in a pair of yoga pants and a blouse. Her hair was pulled back in a loose bun, and she beamed when she saw Jo.

"Josefina! I was wondering when you'd stop by to see me!" She said, going to Jo and wrapping her in a hug. "How's Nutcracker going?" Jo shrugged.

"The usual, two performances a day, six hour rehearsals, one day off. Bearable. A little more bearable now that Zoe's here." The older woman narrowed her eyes, confused. Jo grabbed Zoe's hand, pulling her forward. "'Tila, this is my pen pal, Zoe. Zoe, this is 'Tila, the owner of Tutus and Tap." The two shook hands, before Katila led them towards a small seating area.

"What can I get for you, Josefina?" Katila asked, as the girls took a seat. Unlike everyone else, Katila was the only person to call her by her full name, instead of shortening it to Jo. She was also the only one to never call her by her last name, like some of the other dancers.

"I need a new pair of Pointe shoes, 'Tila." Jo said, slowly pulling out her toe shoes and handing them to the other woman. Katila looked them over, examining the shank and studying the box, tugging gently on the frayed ribbons.

"How long have you had these?"

"Four months." Jo conceded, biting her lip.

"And you've gone through them already? What have you been doing?"

"Nutcracker." Jo replied. Katila rolled her eyes.

"Of course. And you're... Spanish this year?" Jo shook her head as Katila bustled around, looking for a new pair of toe shoes for her.

"Arabian. Spanish last year. And... Chinese the year before that-"

"And French the year before that, and Russian the year before that. I remember. I remember when you did Candy Cane... only thirteen."

"What about Clara?" Zoe asked, as Jo tried on the shoes and then stood, going up on pointe with practiced ease. The older girl shook her head.

"Never wanted to. Always wanted to to play the characters in the Land of Sweets. I always found them much more fascinating."

"How do those feel, Josefina?" Katila asked. She looked down at her feet, doing a few quick moves before going back to flat.

"They feel good. I think I'll get these." As Katia boxed them up, she slipped in an extra thing of ribbon, saying,

"Break a leg at tomorrow's performance, Josefina."


	6. Chapter 6

**************R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

"I'll see you after curtain call. Enjoy the show." Jo whispered, squeezing Zoe's shoulders.

"Thanks Jo, break a leg." The girl gave her a quick smile before hurrying backstage.

It was the final night of Zoe's week in New York, and she was finally going to be sitting in the theater, watching Nutcracker. It'd been a week of sitting in on dance rehearsals, wandering through the park, taking tours of the districts, and trying new foods for the Eureka teen, and as much as she loved it, and as close as she'd gotten to Jo, she was starting to miss home. She'd kept in touch with everyone back in Eureka, chatting over webcam and telling them all about what she'd done, but right now, she was happy to be in the theater.

Once the door opened and she had taken her seat, she flipped through the souvenier program she'd bought, enjoying the images. When she got to an image of the Arabian pair, she stopped, lost in the still until the lights went down in the theater and the show began. She watched, entranced by the beauty of the show, the costumes, the sets, the dances. By the time Clara and the Prince had entered the Land of Sweets in the second act, she was entirely hooked.

Onstage, the various countries made their entrances: The Flowers, bourreeing lightly in their green petaled tutus, Mother Ginger in her huge hoop, Candy Cane in the one-piece with the hoop, French Marzipan, scissoring with her partner, dressed in her long tulle tutu, pink bow tied in her hair, Russian Trepak, running onto the stage in the flowered tutus, Chinese Tea in their sink dress and pants suits, spinning onstage with their hats on and hands held out to their sides, Spanish Hot Chocolate, in the stiff red tutu, holding the fan, going into a paunche, and finally, Arabian Coffee, being lifted by her partner and set gently on her feet.

They all froze in position as Clara scurried in and out of them, taking them in, shock and awe on her face. The last to appear, was the Sugar Plum Fairy herself, dressed in her tutu of white. The others in the Land bowed to her, before she bid them off, and each side turned, arabusequed, and ran offstage as Clara and the Prince were taken to the thrones to sit.

Zoe watched, as one by one, the countries appeared bearing their gifts; candy, tea, chocolate, sugar. But none captured her so much as Arabian Coffee.

The two attendants that started the beginning of the scene were beautiful in their red costumes, the small veils covering their faces of the filmiest gold. The dark costume hugged her curves, despite it being pure film. The dark jewel she wore in the middle of her forehead shone in the stage lights. The audience watched, silent, as he carried her in, her hands out, palms up. As they stopped in the middle of the stage, she took his forearms, tumbling down in front of him and ending in the splits before him.

He pulled her to her feet, and she stepped out, allowing him to take her arms and pull her back; the move was so slow, that the end result- her balanced on one toe shoe, her other leg out through her arms, until she was almost parallel with the ground. Applause happened, but unlike some dancers, Jo and Mike never lost their beat, never missed a step.

They stepped into the fluid dance steps, never taking eyes off each other, and when she went into the splits, only to have him grab her around the waist and hoist her onto his hip, her legs tucked up beneath her. She turned to look at him, her heavily make up-ed eyes sliding to the side to catch his gaze. The chemistry crackled off the pair, and the audience watched, lost in every step, every lift, every tilt of the head and perfectly practiced trick.

When he again hoisted her onto his shoulder, allowing her leg to unfurl, before she waterfalled down to the floor and rolled, Zoe felt the program slide from her lap onto the floor, but she paid it no mind. She was too engrossed in watching Jo stop on her side, unfurl both an arm and a leg to her partner, and with a seductive little smile, allow him to hoist her into the air, into an airplane dive. Moments passed, before she reached out, taking her other leg, arching her back and throwing her leg back until she appeared to be inside out.

A collective gasp from the audience proved the trick only more breathtaking, and when he finally set her back on the floor, spun her around, and pulled her up by hooking his arms under hers and spinning her around, her legs automatically going into a cheerleading position, did the audience let out their breath. In one graceful move, he let her go, and she slid towards the edge of the stage. He hurried to her, and as the last notes rang throughout the theater, and as they moved into their final poses, to thunderous applause. After they stood, and bowed to the audience, he took her waist, and she went into a good plie, returning to his shoulder, and it was here, in this pose, that they walked off the stage and into the wings.

When the show ended and the Land of Sweets dancers came onstage for their bows- each coming in the way they had entered during the introduction to Clara- Zoe only had eyes for Jo and her partner. The pair were beautiful.

"Jo that was amazing!" Zoe cried, rushing backstage. The older girl smiled at her, wrapping her in a hug. Still in her costume, stage makeup and her hair in a tight bun, she still looked every bit the Arabian princess. Zoe pulled out her phone. "Um... could I get a... a picture?"

"Sure."

Several photographs were taken before the girls headed back to Jo's apartment. Mike went with them, joining them for coffee and then heading out to his own apartment, two floors up. Jo walked him out. "Thank you for walking us home. And... for being my partner in the pas de deux." He gave her a small smile.

"You're welcome. And... thanks for being mine." He wrapped her in a hug, before pulling away. They locked eyes for several seconds, before he leaned down, brushing his lips gently against hers.


	7. Chapter 7

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to Jena and paradiso31 for reviewing 6.**

"Promise you'll let me know that you got home okay."

"I promise. And thank you for putting up with me." Jo laughed, wrapping Zoe in a hug.

"My pleasure. It was nice to be around someone that wasn't a dancer." She rubbed Zoe's back, pressing a kiss to the girl's hair. "I'll see you, Zo."

"Bye Jo. Thanks again!" And with one last wave, Zoe entered the terminal. Once the doors closed behind the girl, Jo turned, heading out of the airport. She looked up when Mike slipped an arm around her waist.

"So, is she gone?" Jo nodded.

"Yeah. Back to Oregon." She sighed. "I miss her already." He chuckled as they climbed into the cab and directed the driver.

"You'll forget all about the kid once James starts cracking his whip again." Twenty minutes later, they climbed out of the cab, and slipped into the small hole-in-the-wall cafe they'd discovered months earlier.

"Maybe, but-"

"Mike! Jo! Over here!" She looked up, smiling at Grae as they made their way to the small group and took seats. It was a typical Saturday morning for the young dancers, and as usual, they'd gathered together for coffee before rehearsal.

"Where's your little shadow, Lupo?" Ash asked, sipping his coffee as Jo and Mike ordered theirs.

"Went back to Oregon." Jo replied.

"That's too bad. She was sweet." Grae said, bitting into her muffin. Jo shrugged.

"Yeah, she was."

"You gonna go visit her?" Ema asked as she returned from the bathroom.

"Go all the way out to Oregon? Seriously?" Jo asked, wrinkling her nose. "Why would I do that? There's nothing there but rain, rain and more rain. Oh, and rain."

"She's a little young though, don't you think? To be here by herself?" Ash asked.

"Hey! She was with me!" Jo cried. "I took care of her! She was fun to have around."

"And besides, she's cute." Grae replied, turning to Jo. "You should go visit her. I bet she'd like that." Jo thought a moment.

"Really? Fly all the way out to nowhere Oregon right in the middle of _Nutcracker_ season?" Grae rolled her eyes.

"Not now. After _Nutcracker_. Obviously." Jo thought a moment.

"Maybe. But what if she doesn't want me to come visit? Maybe we're just better off being pen pals." Ema grabbed her phone when it went off.

"Well, you have the next two months to think about it, because we have rehearsal, and James isn't happy." Jo sighed, grabbed her bag and followed the others out of the cafe. Maybe a week in Oregon would do her good.

Back in Eureka, Zoe was being quizzed on everything about her trip, from the food to the city to Jo herself. The entire town seemed fascinated by New York, and the people there, almost like they themselves lived on an island tucked away from the world. Which, when you lived in Eureka, you kind of did.

"I loved it! And Jo was absolutely amazing! She's so... fun! And her friends in the dance company are so cool!"

"She gonna come visit?" Everyone turned; Zane Donovan sat at the counter, twirling his phone in his hands, watching them with cool blue eyes. A native of Boston, Zane hadn't found Zoe's stories as interesting as everyone else; mainly because he'd spent summers and winters in New York as a kid. Zane had been the object of every girl's crush in Eureka since he'd arrived two years earlier, and for a while, he'd played the field, going out, swapping numbers, but never actually sleeping with any of the girls he went out with. Currently, he was single, focused on his work. But the thought of a new face in Eureka had peaked his interest- especially if she was from his neck of the woods, the East Coast.

"Um..." Zoe swallowed; for once, those blue eyes were trained on her, but with an interest for someone else. "I... I don't know."

Zane thought a moment. "She should come visit. I think she'd like it here." Then, he got up, slipping out of the cafe. "Carter." Carter joined his daughter, seeing the hurt.

"Zoe, Zane is eight years older than you-"

"Jo's age." He nodded.

"And I bet they'd get along well together. This is just a crush. And someday you'll realize it. Doesn't mean it'll hurt less." He thought a moment. "Invite her to come stay for a few days. I bet she'd enjoy it. And SARAH would probably like the company." Zoe nodded.

"I do miss her... okay. I'll ask her. But.. she hasn't been answering any of my-" Suddenly, the phone rang, and she launched for it. "Jo! You finally answer my-"

"Sorry kid, JL's right in the middle of Arabian." Zoe instantly recognize Kit, one of the other dancers Jo worked and hung out with. The brunette brushed her bangs out of the way. "Wanted me to tell you that she'd have called earlier, but James has been cracking the whip lately. He expects nothing short of perfection." Kit said, turning the camera to face the studio. Jo and her partner were going through the series of tricks and lifts in the dance. "She might be calling later after practice, but it could be around three or four in the morning. Sorry."

"That's okay, Kit. Thanks for at least answering my call." Zoe replied.

"Three or four? What kind of crazy job do you people choose for yourselves?" Carter asked. Kit chuckled.

"We're dancers, Sheriff. We're used to sleeping all day and working all night. It's nothing new. Catch ya later, kid."

"Bye Kit!" Once the two had hung up, Zoe turned to her dad. "She has to come visit now!"

"If only to catch some sleep." Carter agreed.


	8. Chapter 8

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

She took a deep breath. Since _Nutcracker_ had ended, Jo had been flopping back and forth between visiting and not. Eventually though, vacation won out, and she found herself packing for a trip to Oregon. As she made her way out of the terminal, she began to wonder who was waiting for her. Turns out, no one. That she could see. Sighing, she made her way out of the loading area and took a seat at a small cafe, playing with her phone.

Maybe surprising Zoe wasn't such a good idea after all.

"Ms. Lupo?" She looked up, to see an older woman making her way towards her.

"Yes. Who are you?" She stood, accepting the woman's hand.

"I'm Allison Blake, liason for the DoD." Jo choked.

"DoD... as in... D... Department of Defense?" She swallowed. "I haven't do anything. I'm a dancer, for crying out loud!"

"Ms. Lupo, calm down. I'm here to escort you to Eureka." The girl stopped her rant, turning to Allison.

"You're the one who's taking me to... to... Eureka?"

Allison nodded. "I just... need you to sign a few things first, though." And she handed Jo a stack of papers. The younger woman took a seat at the table, flipping through the papers.

"'Confidentiality? What is this?"

"Just your standard agreement." Jo opened her mouth, but seeing the look on the woman's face, she closed it and instead, signed the papers, handing them over when she was done. "Good. Now let's go get your things."

The drive from the Portland Airport was long and quiet. Eventually, the pulled up in front of a small bed and breakfast. Once Jo had checked in and put her things away, Allison took her into town. As they drove down mainstreet, Jo leaned towards the window, eyes wide with amazement.

"What is this place? Haven? Rosewell?" Allison chuckled.

"No. Neither one." They pulled into a parking place, and the two got out. "Welcome to Eureka, Ms. Lupo." The girl turned around in circles, trying so hard to take everything in all at once. "Come on, I bet you're hungry."

"Starving. Unfortunately, I can't have anything good. No carbs, nothing fattening." Jo said, as she followed Allison into Cafe Diem. "The price of being a dancer. But I love it."

"And who is this?" She turned, to find herself the newest exhibit in the cafe. An older man, big and burly watched her from behind the counter. He smiled at her, and she instantly relaxed.

"Vincent, this is Josefina Lupo, Zoe's pen pal."

"Jo, please. No one calls me Josefina." She held out a hand, giving Vincent a shy smile.

"Well, it's nice to meet you Jo. What can I get you?" She looked around.

"Um... where's your menu?" Vincent chuckled, and the others joined in. "What's so... funny?"

"We don't have menus here. I can make anything you want. You just name it." She thought a moment. "So what are you interested in? Pasta? Chowder in a fresh baked sourdough bread bowl? Cherry cheesecake?" Jo shook her head.

"It all sounds so good, but... I'm on a diet."

"What? Who in their right mind would put you on a diet? We have to fatten you up while you're here!" Vincent cried, shocked.

"I'd love to, but... I can't. Not if I still want to dance when I get back to New York. Just... just a... a salad please. And a... latte, I guess." Vincent smiled at her.

"Well, at least they haven't cut coffee out yet. Coming right up." He patted her hand before disappearing into the kitchen. He came out minutes later, setting a to-go cup in front of her. "Enjoy." She took a sip.

"This is_ really_ good. What is this?"

"Vinspresso." Vincent beamed. Allison chuckled.

"It's Vincent's special blend." Jo turned to her.

"Really?" The woman nodded._ "I like it."_ She glanced back at Vincent. When she turned back around, it was to Zoe, standing in the doorway.

"Jo?" The dancer smiled at her, and the girl squealed, rushing to her as Jo jumped off the stool. The two girls hugged for several minutes, before Jo pulled away. "What are you doing here? I thought you had-"

"I convinced James to give me the week off. He decided to give everyone two weeks off for break." Jo replied, tightening her ponytail. Zoe wrapped Jo in a hug, to excited for words. After introductions were made, Zoe asked,

"Where are you staying?" Jo thought a moment.

"At this... little B and B just outside-"

"No, you're staying with Dad and I." Zoe cut in. Jo shook her head.

"I couldn't, Zoe."

"Oh, it'd be no problem, right Dad?" Zoe asked, turning to Carter, who'd joined them. He thought a moment, before nodded.

"I don't see why not." Zoe turned back to Jo.

"It's settled. You'll stay with us at SARAH."

"SARAH?" Jo asked, confused. Zoe nodded.

"Our smart house." Jo's perfectly plucked eyebrows shot up.

"Right." She turned back when Vincent set her salad in front of her. "Thank you." He nodded, patting her hand. As she started to dig in, she turned, feeling someone watching her. She locked eyes with a young man, who was leaning against the door, hands tucked in his pockets. He watched her with piercing blue eyes, and she blushed, turning back to her salad. The exchange didn't go unnoticed by Zoe, who kept quiet.

Later, as Zoe helped Jo carry her two suitcases into the smart house, Jo asked,

"Um... Zoe, who was that guy? Back at the cafe? The one by the door?" Just as Zoe opened her mouth,

"Welcome, Ms. Lupo." Jo jumped, dropping her bag.

"What the hell was that?" She looked around quickly, searching for something that she couldn't name. Zoe laughed softly.

"Jo, meet SARAH. Our smart house. SARAH, this is Jo, my friend from New York."

"SARAH?" Jo asked timedly, looking towards the ceiling.

"Self Actuated Residential Automated Habitat. SARAH for short."

"SARAH's an AI." Zoe replied. "Artificial-"

"Intelligence, I know." Jo whispered, looking around.

"I'm very pleased to meet you, Jo." The tiny dancer nodded, smiling nervously.

"You too." She looked back at Zoe, all thoughts of the guy in the cafe gone. "The house talks. The. House. Talks. This is just_ too weird_."


	9. Chapter 9

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Yes, this is Jo and Zane's long awaited first meeting...**

**Thanks to paradiso31 for reviewing 7 and 8 and mondler1998 for reviewing 8. **

She awoke at eight, to the sounds of Russian _Trepak_ streaming into her room. Groaning, she pulled her pillow over her head, as an automated voice greeted her over the speakers. "Good morning, Jo. Breakfast is ready when you come downstairs. Would you like a shower first?" Her eyes snapped open, and she sat up, a scream escaping her throat. When she looked up next, Zoe was rushing into her bedroom in pink heart pajamas, with Carter right behind her.

"Is everything all right? Are you okay?" Carter asked, looking around. Jo took a deep breath, slowly unfurling from around the pillow she was clutching.

"S... sorry, Sheriff Carter. I... I woke up and... forgot where I was and... and then I heard... that..." She pointed to the ceiling. "I... overreacted, is all." She said, as Carter nodded.

"I'm sorry if I scared you, Jo. That's wasn't my intention." SARAH replied. Carter chuckled softly.

"Don't worry Jo, yours is a... typical reaction when you first stay here." He said. She nodded.

"Oh... okay. Um... I... I think I'll go... take a shower..." And she climbed out of bed, slipping past Carter and making her way towards the bathroom.

After a quick shower, she returned to her room and pulled on a pair of black leggings and a white tank, before pulling on her black wrap jacket and her light pink ballet skirt. She pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail that she would later pull into a bun- a habit she could never break, no matter how hard she tried- and then pulled on her white leg warmers before slipping into her black glitter flats and grabbing her dance bag. She'd pulled on her scarf and the fingerless gloves her older brother Luca had sent her from Spain. The red rose design- intricately painted on the back of each glove, was perfect for the Lupo's Spanish Rose, as they often referred to her. She double checked that she had her Pointe shoes and her music, before heading downstairs.

Carter and Zoe looked up as she entered the kitchen. "Hey Jo. What's with the... ballerina gear?" Zoe asked. She glanced down.

"Does it look that bad?"

"Not if you're going for an audition to _Swan Song_." Carter said. Jo stared at him for a moment, before realizing his mixup.

"_Swan Lake_." He returned her confused look with one of his own.

"What?"

"_Swan Lake_. Not _Swan Song_." Then, she grabbed an apple out of the bowl and dashed towards the door with a nimbleness that surprised both Carters and SARAH. "Thanks, Sheriff Carter! I'm gonna go wander around before I go to the studio." And without another word, she was gone.

She walked the two miles into town- why had the Carters decided to live in a bunker on a hill overlooking downtown?- munching on her apple and enjoying the air. Eventually, she made it to downtown, and dashed across the street, her Pointe shoes swinging back and forth, hitting her hip as she leaped over the gutter and rushed down the sidewalk towards the cafe. Eurekians watched the young girl from New York, some surprised by her, others wondering when she'd leave them to their peace. She managed to slip into the door as it closed, sliding to a stop in the middle of the cafe, causing everyone to turn to stare at her. She looked around, suddenly exceedingly aware that she was the object of their attention. Clearly, newcomers were a dime a dozen in this town.

She took a deep breath, rolled her shoulders back, and brushed a stray strand of hair away, going to the counter and taking a seat. "Morning, little dancer." Vincent said, setting a cup of coffee in front of her. She smiled at him, instantly taking a sip and pushing a few bills his way. He shook his head. "No, no, everything here is free."

"Keep it. For the excellent service." He gave her a small smile.

"So, what can I get you this morning?" He asked. She thought a moment.

"Um... surprise me." She replied. He nodded. Once he was gone, she sat sipping her coffee, trying not to stare back at the people who stared at her. "H... hey, Vincent?" He came over to her. "Where's the dance studio?" His eyes widened, and the others in the cafe laughed, some snickering behind their hands. She turned to stare at them. "What's so funny?"

Moments passed before, "There's no dance studio here. The closest thing we have is the gym at GD." She turned, to see the same young man who'd been watching her the night before standing in the door way. He sauntered over to the counter, taking a seat next to her, as Vincent brought out her order and his.

"What do you mean there's no dance studio?" She asked, as he sipped his coffee. He glanced at her.

"We don't have a dance studio. Look around, bright eyes, no one here is going to be a dancer." She glanced around.

"How am I supposed to practice? Osmosis? I can't do that. Just because I'm on break-" She stopped when he turned to her, his blue eyes locking on hers.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but... if you're on break, aren't you supposed to... I don't know, crazy idea, take a break?" She licked her lips, turning back to her meal.

"I can't. If I slack off, I could lose my spot in the company, and I've worked too hard for that. Taking a break is not an option." He leaned close, so that when she turned next, their lips were inches apart.

"Would that be such a bad thing?" He asked. She stared into his eyes for a moment, before leaning close-

"Leave her alone, Zane! She's here to hang out with me, not make out with you!" The pair pulled apart, to see Zoe and Carter in the doorway. He raised his eyebrows.

"Geez, little Carter, ever hear of sharing?" He asked, getting up. He grabbed his cup, and turned back to Jo. "Personally, I think the kid's got a bit of a crush on you. But then again, I don't blame her." He smirked at the startled look on her face. "Catch you later, bright eyes." He whispered, pressing a kiss to her cheek before leaving. Zoe turned, watching him saunter off with an air of possessiveness about her. Once she was sure he was gone, she followed her dad into the cafe.

"Seems like he's taken a liking to you, little dancer." Vincent said, leaning against the counter. Jo turned back to him.

"Who was that?" He glanced back at the door as Zoe and Carter took seats at the counter.

"Zane Donovan." Zoe grumbled; clearly, she was still pissed about Zane moving in on her penpal.

"He's a particle phsycist, and the youngest person to win-" She only half-listened as Vincent rattled off some prestigious award in science. Her direction returned at the mention of GD again.

"Where is this GD? What is it? I keep hearing it, but I have no clue what it is, and he said that the only gym they really have that would work for my dance would be the gym at this... GD." Jo asked, looking at the others. Carter and Vincent shared glances, before he got up.

"Come on, Jo, I'll take you. We'll talk to Allison."

Half an hour later, she found herself being escorted by the sheriff into the Allison's office at Global Dynamics. "All I want to do is use the gym to practice my dancing. I don't care about science or... technology. Just give me a space to practice, I'll be fine on my own, I promise. Please." She begged. Allison glanced at Carter, before sitting back in her chair. Minutes passed before the older woman nodded.

"Fine. You can use the gym, but only if you agree to stick to the gym and the cafeteria." Jo nodded.

"I promise. Thank you."


	10. Chapter 10

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thansk to paradiso31 for reviewing 9.**

It felt good to be back en Pointe, and as she chaine'd across the floor, it took away some of the pain of discovering her boyfriend cheating on her. The phone call had only made her suspicions sharper, clearer, more painful. She was actually glad she wasn't in New York at the moment. She'd either kill him or kill herself.

"Bad breakup?" She stumbled, falling out of Pointe- he grabbed her shoulders to steady her. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." She pulled away, sniffling. Zane watchd her walk to the nearby wall and started working on her exercises. "So-"

"Cheating asshole son of a bitch." She choked out, struggling to remain calm. Zane bit his lip.

"So, it is a bad breakup." She ignored him. "Look, I'm sorry." A moment passed, before he left. As he moved past the windows, he stopped, turning back to watch the figure working on her Pointe exercises.

"Allison! Dr. Blake!" Allison turned, to see Zane jogging to catch up with her. She stopped, letting him join her before going on.

"What's wrong, Zane?" He took a deep breath.

"What's the deal with her?"

"Who?" Allison asked, turning to him as they continued through GD. Zane glanced back towards the gym.

"Bright eyes." He whispered, leaning close. She turned a confused gaze on him. "Zoe's friend." He clarified. "The one from my neck of the woods."

"Oh." Allison nodded slowly, before realizing what he was asking. "Oh! Why do you want to know?" He shrugged, hands in his pockets.

"Okay, I was just in the gym, and she... she threw her phone across the room, and when I took it back to her, she was trying not to cry. Said she called her boyfriend, only to catch him cheating on her." He thought a moment. "So what's her deal? Too soon to take her out for dinner?" Allison stopped, suddenly realizing why Zane was prodding her for information of Jo.

"Zane! She is here to spend a few weeks on break, and some time with Zoe! Not go on a date with you!" He bit his lip.

"Just asking. No need to get upset." They continued on for several minutes, before Zane scratched the back of his neck, sheepishly saying, "So... if I took her out to get her mind off her asshole ex, say... tomorrow night about eight a Cafe Diem, that wouldn't be too soon, would it?" Allison's glare briefly stopped his heart.

"Zane."

"I'm just asking!" He replied, holding up his hands. She rolled her eyes.

"Why are you so interested in her anyways?"

"Because she's not from here. Don't get me wrong, the people here are great, they're just not... interesting. They're the interesting that gets boring after a while. She's the interesting that's new and exciting." Allison gave an exasperated sigh. "Besides, she's from my neck of the woods." Allison stopped, turning to him.

"Zane," She placed a hand on his arm. "Promise me that you won't get involved with her."

"_Come on, Allison_-"

"_Promise me, Zane_! Stay away from her." The young man scoffed.

"You're acting like she's trouble or-"

"No, but _you are_, and she's Zoe's friend, and while she's here, I don't want something to happen to her. I want to send her back to New York in one piece. So leave her be, let her spend time with Zoe, get to know the people, and then she can go home and we can all stop acting like some outsider coming into town is something to gawk at. Okay? You stay away from her, Zane. I mean it. Stay away from her."

"Okay." He held up his hands. He watched Allison walk off, and once she was gone, he put his hands in his pockets. "I'll stay away- after our date."


	11. Chapter 11

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

**Thanks to mondler1998 for reviewing 10.**

"Hey! Bright eyes! Wait up!" She continued on, twirling the apple she'd bought from the cafeteria in her hands. "Hey! Bright eyes!" She stopped, slowly turned towards where she thought she heard someone calling. "Wait up!" The young man from the cafe- Zane, if she remembered correctly, the one who'd interrupted her in the gym- was rushing to catch up. She reached up, taking an earphone out of her ear. "Hey."

"Hi." She shifted her dance bag, feeling her Pointe shoes whack against her thigh. They stood in awkward silence, until she bit her lip. "Well, bye." She turned to go-

"Um... I... I was wondering..." She turned back. "Um..." He blushed, realizing that he was stammering. She smiled at him, her nose wrinkling.

"Yes?" She asked, stepping closer. His blue eyes flicked to her lips briefly, before he whispered,

"Lunch? Maybe? Or... or... or... or... dinner?" She thought a moment.

"I'm hangin' out wit' Zoe today. We're goin' shoppin' up in Portland. Sorry." She moved away, turning and starting away, but stopped. A pensive thought crossed her face as she stared at him. "But dinner, I can do. Seven? Zoe 'n I should be back by then." He didn't respond, so surprised that she'd said yes.

"Um... ah... seven-thirty? Meet you at the bunker?" Her brow furrowed, curious.

"How'd ya-"

"You're Zoe's friend. Only gives reason that you'd be staying at SARAH. Everyone knows where the Carters live." She nodded. "So seven?"

"I thought we said seven-thirty?" She asked. He blushed, nodding.

"We... we did. Yes. I'll... I'll pick you up at seven-thirty." She grinned.

"Can't wait." She said, taking a bite of her apple. Then, she was gone, disappearing down the steps and out the doors. Zane watched her go. _Neither can I._ He thought, turning and nonchalantly heading back to his lab, giving Allison an innocent look as he passed. _Neither can I._

Once she made it outside, she made a beeline for Zoe's car, climbing in. She tossed her dance bag in the back, and buckled her seatbelt. "So, ready?" She asked, turning to the teen. The blonde nodded, starting the car. It had taken time, but eventually, Carter had agreed to let Zoe and Jo drive up to Portland; the teenager had turned sixteen a few months before, and so she was eager to start driving. The main reason Carter had allowed them to go, was because Jo would be with her, and Jo was- ever though she didn't look it- twenty-four. He knew that the young ballerina would look out for his daughter.

"Ready." They drove off, changing radio channels and talking about the various things going on in their lives; it was only when they climbed out of the car and headed towards one of the stores in Portland, that Jo brought up her upcoming date with Zane.

"Wait, he asked you out? When?" Zoe asked, trying on a floppy hat before returning it to the display.

"In the 'tunda as I was leavin'." Jo replied, slipping a pair of sunglasses on and modeling them.

"What'd you say?" Zoe asked, moving and examining the purses. Jo followed, grabbing a scarf and wrapping it around her neck and head, a perfect imitation of Audrey Hepburn, getting into trouble in _Breakfast at Tiffany's_ or Natalie Wood in _Sex and the Single Girl_. Zoe quickly snapped a picture on her phone as Jo posed, before moving and grabbing a jacket to try on. "Please tell me you didn't-"

"Said he'd pick me up at seven-thirty." Jo cut in, grabbing a skirt and lacy top and disappearing into the dressing room. She only vaguely heard Zoe's exclamation of, "You didn't!" before the door shut behind her. She came out twenty minutes later, dressed in the white skirt, lacy pink top and yellow scarf she'd forgotten to take off. Zoe had taken a seat, sulking in the corner, stewing about how _Zane Donovan_ was moving in on her week with Jo. It wasn't fair. "How do I look?" She asked, hands on her hips. The teen shook her head. "Com'on, Zoe, it's one date. It's not gonna kill me if I go to dinner wi' him." The teen sat up as Jo removed the scarf from her head.

"You know he's only going after you so he can get in your pants, right? Or... your... tights..." she amended, realizing who she was talking to. Jo rolled her eyes.

"This is _me_, Zoe. My asshole boyfriend just broke up wi' me because he was screwin' around. It's one date. We'll talk, 'ave dinner, he'll bring me back to your place and leave. That's all. And then you get me the rest o' the week. 'kay?" The teen thought a moment.

"Okay." She stood, grabbing Jo's hand. "Come on. If it's just a casual dinner, you need something casual. No skirts and now button downs. Jeans and maybe something pink..."

The girls spent the next two hours shopping, before finally stopping for lunch at a small eatery in downtown Portland. By six-thirty, they were back in Eureka, rushing down the steps of the bunker, packages in hand, Zoe trying to decide exactly how to do Jo's hair and make up for her dinner with Zane. "How was your trip, Zoe? Jo?"

"Great, SARAH." Zoe said, kicking off her shoes and grabbing Jo's hand. "Come on. Let's go get you ready." They rushed upstairs to Jo's room, where Zoe made her quickly change and then come to her room. "You should curl your hair." Zoe said, grabbing the curling iron as Jo entered her room and took a seat on her bed.

"Don't curl my hair. Usually just wear in a bun, since I'm dancin' all the time." Jo replied as Zoe began working on the glossy black strands.

"A bun is so... ballerina." Zoe said, releasing one curl and grabbing more hair to curl another. Jo stopped flipping through the magazine she'd snatched off Zoe's bed.

"I... am a ballerina." She replied. The girl stopped her work.

"Right. Sorry. Forgot." She continued her work, before, "SARAH, music, please."

"What would you like, Zoe?" The teen shrugged. "Jo?" The young woman glanced towards the ceiling.

"Um... Bob Marley?"

"Bob Marley?" Zoe cried, pulling away and leaning over Jo's shoulder to see her. "Seriously?" Jo shrugged.

"I grew up in Jersey. I 'ave three olda brothers. My oldest brother Ricco gotta go to one of his concerts. I found the album he'd bought when I was about eight and played it- Marley's one of my fav's." Zoe rolled her eyes, snorting. "What? I grew up in the eighties and nineties. I din't just get the boy bands and heavy metal, I got the bubblegum pop too."

"Did you wear the spandex miniskirts and the shoulder pads? Oh, and the massive, frizzed hair?" Jo snorted, roling her eyes.

"Are you kiddin'? I was a _kid._ I wore the pedal-pushers and sweatshirts wi' the collars cut out and Keds. Occasionally leggings. Briefly got into that whole preppy valley girl _'like oh my God!'_ style when I hit middle school. Then I developed fashon sense." Jo said, putting on a face valley girl accent and pulling off Alicia Silverstone's _Clueless_ act perfectly. Zoe laughed.

"So you did the whole 'nineties' clothing thing, then?" Jo pulled her gaze from the magazine.

"What 'nineties' thing?" Zoe shrugged.

"You know, the western shirts and catsuits?" Jo snorted.

"Hell no. Converse and crop tops wi' jeans. No catsuits and _sure as hell _no western shirts." Zoe pulled away, dropping the curling iron.

"You wore crop tops?" Jo nodded.

"Yeah, why?"

"You just... don't seem like the type." The dancer raised an eyebrow.

"It was the nineties and I was in high school. Don't look so shocked. I'm only eight years olda than you."

"I'm sorry, Jo, could you repeat that?" The older woman looked towards the ceiling.

"'peat wha'?" She asked.

"Could you repeat that last sentence?" SARAH replied.

"Why? Noth'n import'nt." She returned to flipping through the magazine. Zoe listened, she thought she heard SARAH's circuits whir- the closest thing a house could get to an exasperated sigh. The teen couldn't help laughing as she finished Jo's hair. "Wha'so funny?" Jo asked, turning to look at the younger girl. Zoe climbed off the bed, putting the curling iron away and grabbing the makeup Jo had brought with her.

"SARAH's having a hard time understanding you." The dancer raised an eyebrow, not comprehending. "She can't understand your accent."

"Oh. Why din't she say so?"

"Because it would have been rude. And I didn't know how to ask such a question." SARAH replied. Jo nodded.

"Oh. You coulda jus' asked."

"I will keep that in mind, Jo." SARAH responded. The dancer nodded, giving the house a wary smile, before Zoe tapped her nose with the bristles of a blush brush.

"Eyes closed, now!" Chuckling, she did as told, and at seven-thirty, rushed downstairs at SARAH's announcement that Zane had arrived.


	12. Chapter 12

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

"Hey." He looked up as the door opened; she stood on the other side, watching him. "You comin' in?" She pushed the door open and stepped aside, going to the coat closet and grabbing her coat and purse. Zane watched her, and as she came back to him, breathed,

"Whoa Mama." She scoffed gently, glancing at her shoes.

"Ya gotta problem?" She asked, glancing up at him as she set her purse down and pulled her coat on. He nodded, unable to take his eyes off her.

"Yeah, weak knees. You look-" She quickly licked her lips, unable to remove the 'wild rose' red lipstick Zoe had put on her. Her dark eyes were made even more exquisite due to the black eye makeup and her long lashes. She looked her age- not the sixteen-year-old most people thought she was.

"Good?" She offered, stepping towards him. He shook his head.

"Uh-huh. Great." He whispered. She grinned, a light blush beginning in her cheeks. But he was right. She did look great. Zoe had talked her into a long-sleeved white sweater dress with a medium cowl neck and a pair of black leggings with black knee-high boots. A wide black belt was cinched around her waist, accenting more of her already accented curves. Her hair hung in loose sausage curls, and she had a white beret sitting back on her head, leaving her dark curls to accent her features. She grinned sheepishly, going to him.

"Thank you." A moment passed, before he handed her the rose. She took it with a smile, breathing the scent in. He watched her bury her nose in the flower, before her dark eyes slid to the side. "What?" He shook his head, a blush creeping into his cheeks as he realized he'd been caught.

"Nothing." They fell into akward silence, before slipping the rose into her purse as the door swung open. He offered her his arm, and she took it with a small smile, allowing him to lead her out of the bunker and up the stairs. When they got outside, he handed her the extra helmet and climbed on. She climbed up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. With one last glance at the bunker, they sped off.

The cafe was fairly busy when they walked in twenty minutes later, and took a seat at one of the small tables. Several other patrons turned to stare as GD's premiere particle psychist took a seat across from the Carter girl's New York penpal. Whispers began to swirl, and Jo looked around nervously as she removed her coat and draped it over the back of her chair. Vincent bustled over, giddy with excitement at the prospect of a first date. "What can I get you kids?" Zane glanced at Jo, who shrugged.

"What do you have, Vince?" Zane asked. The chef straightened.

"I've got a roast duck legs in red and white wine sauce, topped with a three bean salsa on top of wild rice." The pair shared a glance.

"That sounds good." Jo said, Zane nodded.

"We'll try that." Vincent beamed.

"Good, I'll have that right up." And then he was gone; he returned with two glasses and a bottle of chardonnay. After he poured the glasses, he returned to the kitchen, getting to work on their meal. Once he was gone, Jo turned back to Zane. Silence reigned for several minutes, before she asked,

"So... what exactly d'you do at GD?" He thought a moment, sighing.

"I'm a particle physcist." She raised her eyebrows.

"Wow. So... why does an ant-establishment anarchist agree to a cushy consulting job at Global Dynamics?"

"How did you-" Jo grinned, picking up her wineglass and taking a sip.

"Zoe told me- and her dad filled in the blanks. They said... that you raised... quite the hell when you first showed up." He chuckled softly.

"Don't believe everything you hear." She raised her eyebrows in surprise. He leaned towards her, his blue eyes trained on hers. "And... the same reason the daughter of a colonel decides to pursue a life of starvation and desolation to become a dancer instead of going into the military like the rest of her family. And Carter told me." He amended, when she opened her mouth. She set her wine glass down.

"The money? Please! You wouldn't believe wha' the company pays me!" She cried in surprise. He shook his head, taking a sip of his wine.

"The opportunity. These aren't just jobs, they're our lives." She thought a moment, rewarding him with a smile as their meals appeared. With a whispered, 'enjoy,' Vincent scurried back towards the kitchen, stopping to watch the pair. They ate in silence for several minutes, before he asked, "So, what exactly does a ballerina do? I mean besides dance- that part's obvious. I guess... why dance? Why New York?" She swallowed the bite she'd been chewing before,

"My parents took me t' see _Swan Lake_ when I was four. I remember dressin' up and walkin' into the theater with its velvet walls, and the pit where the orchestra hid. When the curtain rose and the show began... I found myself entranced by the costumes and the music and dancing and I decided that I wanted to be a part of that. I asked my mom afterwards if I could take dance classes. I started not long after and... never looked back. I love it, it's my life." A look of sadness flashed across her face. "When my mom died, I just dove in deeper." He reached out, taking her hand.

"I'm sorry." She gave him a small smile.

"So, what about you? What made you get into physics?" He thought a moment, swallowing the bite he'd taken.

"My dad was a physicst and my mom was a Forensic Anthropologist with a PhD in history. My parents divorced when I was ten, and my mom struggled to raise me on her own. I didn't make it any easier on her." Jo listened, resting her chin on her hand. "I was accepted to MIT when I was fifteen- after being kicked out of Yale at thirteen. Bounced around from school to school, before going up to Vancouver and getting a job on an oil rig. An injury ended that. Afterwards, I went around causing trouble, until they brought me here." She nodded.

"Where're ya from?" She asked, taking a bite of her duck.

"Boston." He replied, sipping his wine. Her eyebrows rose.

"Really?" He nodded. "I've been to Boston."

"As a tourist-"

"Ballerina. Did a brief stint with the Boston Ballet when I was fourteen." He nodded, surprised.

"Any other company?" She thought a moment, setting her fork down and running her napkin through her fingers.

"Boston Ballet. Um... the Arka Ballet in D.C, the Ballet Theatre of Maryland, Capital Ballet Company in New York, the Chamber Ballet Company in Williamsburg, the Dance Landscape in NYC- all between the ages of fourteen and sixteen. Um... I went up to Canada and worked with the Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada in New Brunswick, the Ballet Jorgen Canada and the National Ballet of Canada in Ontario, the Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in Quebec, and Ballet British Columbia in Vancouver- all between sixteen and eighteen. Um... I danced with the Austrailian Ballet and the Queensland Ballet in Australia, and the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam. Um... yeah." She laughed softly. "I've danced almost all over the world. But I'm with the New York Ballet mainly." He nodded, impressed.

"Wow. Um... wow." She laughed, her nose wrinkling. He sat back in his chair, enjoying the sight.

"That's all you can say?" He thought a moment, before,

"Certainly more impressive than anything I've ever done." She blushed. "And you... played the Arabic... in _Nutcracker_ last year?"

"Arabian." She corrected gently, nodding. "Yes. The Arabian Pas de Deux. Although, I've played almost every role in _Nutcracker_."

"And which one's your favorite?" She thought a moment.

"Of Nutcracker or of everything I've danced in?" He shrugged.

"Either."

"Well, Arabian is definately my favorite of the_ Nutcracker_ dances. But over all, I love playing the Swan-"

"_Swan Lake_?" She nodded. "My mom took me to a few ballets when I was a kid."

"Really?" He nodded, sipping his wine. "I didn't know you liked ballet."

"It's okay. But if all ballerinas look like you, I might consider becoming an avid fan." She blushed, as Vincent brought out dessert.

"On the house." Zane raised an eyebrow.

"Um... Vincent, it's always on the house."

An hour later, they walked down the sidewalk towards his bike. A light drizzle had started, and she shivered in her light jacket. Instantly, Zane took his own jacket off and drapped it around her shoulders. She glanced at him, giving him a small smile. "This weather reminds me of New York. I love the rain." He nodded.

"Boston." They shared a glance, but before she could say another word, she slipped, losing her balance. Her feet went out to find some sort of purchase but the heels she wore didn't help the lithe ballerina pull off any sort of tricks. The only reason she didn't hit the ground was due to her grabbing onto Zane's arm, and him taking her other hand. He hoisted her back onto her feet, their lips inches apart. "Easy there, bright eyes. No need to break an ankle. Can't very well send you back to New York with a cast. I'm sure your director wouldn't be to happy and Zoe would kill me." She gave him a small smile, her dark eyes searching his. Slowly, she leaned up, but after a moment, he pulled away, reaching over to grab the helmet on the back of the bike. He handed it to her, and she took it, licking her lips. The drive back to the bunker was silent, and once they reached the door, it was pouring. Both were completely soaked by the time they hurried down the stairs to the front door. She turned to him.

"Thank you. I... I hada nice time." He nodded.

"So did I." They stood in silence for several minutes, before, "So... would... would you like to... to maybe meet for... for breakfast tomorrow?" She bit her lip.

"I promised Zoe-" He nodded.

"Lunch then? Or... maybe dinner and dessert?" He flashed that trademark smile, and she felt her knees go weak. A quick glance behind her to make sure the door was still closed, gave her enough time to decide. But Zane took her silence as her answer. "Okay. Thanks for joining me for dinner at least." He turned to go, but she grabbed his arm.

"Zane." He turned back to her. She took a step towards him, staring into his eyes. "I'll take all three."

Zoe opened the door just in time to see Jo wrap her arms around his neck and capture his lips in a deep, thorough kiss.


	13. Chapter 13

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

"Zane! Get the hell away from her!" The pair broke apart, turning to find themselves the object of a very pissed off Zoe. The teen stood in a pair of sweats and a tank, hair pulled back in pigtails, a glare on her pretty features. Jo bit her lip, glancing at Zane, who stuck his hands in his pockets. "I told you to stay away from Jo!" Zoe snapped, glaring at the older man. Zane rolled his eyes.

"Don't drop an atomic bomb, little Carter. It was just a kiss. Besides, Jo's a grown woman, she can do what she wants." Zane replied; Zoe glanced at Jo, who pulled Zane's jacket tighter around herself. The older woman cleared her throat, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.

"Um... I... I'm gonna..." She gestured into the house, and slipped past Zoe, before turning back and going to Zane. "Thanks. I hada great evenin'." She said, pressing a kiss to his lips. With a squeeze of his hand and a smile, she turned and headed into the house.

"See ya tomorrow, bright eyes." She gave him a small smile over her shoulder before the door closed behind her. Zoe watched her leave, before turning back to Zane, arms crossed.

"How could you, Zane? She's my friend, not yours!" Zane rolled his eyes, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Oh grow up, little Carter. If Bright eyes wants to go out with me, she can; she doesn't need your permission-"

"Bright eyes?" Zoe asked, eyebrows raised. Zane took a deep breath, sighing in annoyance. "Who's bright-" She stopped, realization dawning as she glanced back through the open door. "Oh my God. You call Jo 'bright eyes,' don't you?" She asked, her eyes widening in surprise. Zane licked his lips. "Why do you call her bright eyes?" He glanced over her shoulder.

"You know what, it's late and I work in the morning. I'll see ya, little Carter." She grabbed his arm as he turned to go.

"Oh no you don't! Not before you explain why you call Jo bright eyes." He turned, smirking, before he leaned close.

"Have you ever looked at her. I mean really looked at her. Stared into her eyes and watched them light up when she talks about dance or dances?" Zoe shook her head. "Maybe you should." Then, he pulled away from her and left. Zoe watched him go, his words running circles in her head. A moment passed, before she turned and headed into the bunker, rushing upstairs. She pushed the door to Jo's room open, poking her head in.

"Jo? Can I... come... in?" She stood in the doorway, watching Jo curiously. The young woman had changed out of her clothes and put on a pair of worn black leggings and a t-shirt with the collar cut out. She was laying on the floor against the wall, her legs out in a wall stretch, a magazing in her hands. She tilted her head to the side, making eye contact with Zoe.

"Sure. Wat's up?" She asked, pulling her legs up and flipping onto her side before sitting up. she ran a hand through her curls, closing her magazine and getting up. Zoe glanced down quickly, catching sight of the neon green socks she wore. Then, the older woman climbed onto the bed, crossing her legs. Zoe licked her lips, joining her on the bed.

"How was your date with Zane?" The dancer thought a moment, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"It was... nice. We... we talked a lot... found out we have a lot of... common interests."

"Like what?" Jo took a deep breath.

"Well... we're both from the east coast- I'm from Jersey, he's from Boston. Um... we both grew up without a parent in our lives... we both... grew up going to ballets and... the rain reminds us both of the east coast... neither of us really... dated much in school... we both graduated valedictorian of our classes, and we enjoy rollerskating. Um... we both like cherry pie..." She laughed softly, and Zoe grinned. "You know, I... I've never felt... more... in tune with another person than I did tonight. I felt like he... got me. Like he... understood me and... why I dance... most people don't get that. They don't understand why it's so important to me."

"What you do is beautiful, Jo." Zoe whispered. The older woman smiled softly at her. Suddenly, Zoe felt a flood of warmth fill her chest, and she scooted closer, taking a seat beside the dancer. "It's... carefree and controlled and... beautiful... and you make a living at it, every day. You have passion for what you do, and you make other people feel it. You're lucky. I wish I had as much passion for something as you do for your dancing." She pulled her knees to her chest.

"You'll find your passion, Zoe, just give it time. Some people find their passion right away, for others, it takes time. Be patient. You're passion with show itself when you're ready." Jo told her, reaching out to pat her knee.

"How will I know when I'm ready?" She asked, looking up into Jo's dark eyes. The older woman sighed, thinking.

"Trust me, you'll know." The girl nodded, accepting the answer.

She watched out of the corner of her eye as Jo plugged her cell in to charge and then grabbed her brush, running it quickly through her long dark hair. "Hey Jo?" The woman turned, her dark hair spinning out like a skirt around her head.

"Hmm?" She didn't get a chance to say anything else, because suddenly Zoe's lips were on hers, brushing against her mouth in a gentle, loving kiss. A moment passed as Zoe reached up to cradle the young dancer's face in her hand, and Jo reached up, pulling her hand away. But Zoe reached up with her other hand, taking hold of Jo's chin and holding her head steady as she tried to deepen the kiss. Jo's eyes opened, and she tried to push the girl away, Zane's words coming back to her.

_"I think the kid's got a bit of a crush on you."_

Finally, she was able to push Zoe away from her. Her breathing was rapid, and she was shaking. Zoe licked her lips, a blush tainting her cheeks. "Sorry." Jo nodded, getting off the bed.

"I... I think I'm gonna go to bed. Good night, Zoe." The girl nodded, hearing the edge in her voice and taking that as her cue to leave. She slowly climbed off the bed, going to the door. A moment passed before she turned back.

"Goodnight, Jo." Once the girl had left, Jo curled up under the covers. She buried her face in the pillow. She had no problem if Zoe was gay- some of her closest friends were- but the fact that the teen had set her sights on Jo herself- unnerved the dancer. She couldn't fault Zoe; she herself had been a teen, experimenting with her own sexuality, and so she knew how confusing it was. But she didn't want a relationship with anyone- especially not Zoe, who was more like a little sister- when she'd just gotten out of one. She just had to make the teen see that.


	14. Chapter 14

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

The next morning, she came downstairs to see Zoe and Carter sitting at the counter. She quickly filled her water bottle and then slipped out of the kitchen, adjusting her dance back, her Pointe shoes hitting her thigh. "I'll be at the gym if you wanna get aholda me."

"I thought you two were going to have breakfast at Cafe Diem." Carter said, sipping his coffee. Jo stopped halfway to the door, her mouth dropping open.

Oh, right. She'd been so preoccupied with trying to figure out how to deal with Zoe's kiss that she'd forgotten about breakfast. "Um..."

"Actually, Pilar texted me and asked if I would help her with... a project that she's working on." Zoe said, catching Jo's eye. Just because Jo had two weeks off, didn't mean the kids at Tesla did. Jo nodded, catching onto Zoe's lie.

"Yeah, we... decided t'do breakfast t'morrow." Jo added, glancing at Zoe. Carter looked from one girl to the other, before nodding.

"All right. If you need anything, let us know." She nodded.

"Will do." And then she was gone. She rushed down to Cafe Diem, picking up a cup of coffee before heading to the gym at GD. But before she headed to the gym, she had to make a quick delivery. After asking the security where Zane worked, she headed down to his lab. She knocked quickly on the wall as she stepped into the lab, and the young scientist turned, surprise crossing his face- and everyone else's- at the sight of the young dancer standing in the middle of his lab. She glanced around, before going to his work desk. "Um... you... forgot your... jacket last night. I just... wanted to... give it back." A moment passed, she laid the jacket on the table, and then pivoted, fleeing from the lab and back to the gym. Zane watched her go, startled. Once the shock wore off, he excused himself and followed her.

When he found her, she was on the floor of the gym, Owl City's _Fireflies_ pounding from the speakers of her ipod. He stood in silence- with several other employees- watching as she danced, becoming lost in the music. One leg shot out in a fan, before she did a quick three step turn. Her body hit the floor- several people gasped, afraid she'd hurt herself- and she went into an over-the-shoulder roll, before going into a toe rise.

_"I'd like to make myself believe_  
_That planet Earth turns slowly_  
_It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep_  
_'Cause everything is never as it seems"_

When the chorus began, she went from a stag jump to a chaine, and into several slow fouettes at the words 'Earth turns slowly' before going into a series of double stag jumps. She landed on the floor, rolling before jumping into the splits and going back into another over-the-shoulder roll, ending the choreography there. As she caught her breath and sat up, she heard the applause; surprise filled her face as she finally caught sight of her audience. A moment passed as she got up, going to her ipod and pausing her music before turning back to them. She chuckled softly. "Thank you. I... wasn't aware I... had an audience..." Minutes passed as people came up and chatted softly with her before leaving; after seeing her dance, they all decided to let her have the gym- a few days without a workout wouldn't kill them, and if it made the little dancer happy, then they'd let her have the gym for her rehearsing.

She grabbed a towel, dabbing the perspiration from her neck and taking a sip of her water. "That was... wow." She looked up, finding Zane the only audience member left. A blush rushed onto her skin, and she ducked her head.

"Thank you. But it's... not much. I was just... messin' round with some of my dance steps. Jus' playin', ya know?" He grinned.

"Well if that's playing, I'd love to see what you do when you're not playing." She laughed as he realized what he said. "I didn't mean... well, I did... but... in... dance..."

"I get it. And thank you." He nodded. A moment of silence descended on them, before she set her water bottle down. "Well, I'd better get back to..."

"Right. So... um... lunch? Did... didn't we agree on that last night?" She looked up at him. A look of pain briefly crossed her face, and she nodded, her thoughts turning to Zoe.

"Righ'. We did. So... meet at the cafeteria or-"

"How about I meet you here?" He asked. She thought, before nodding.

"Okay. See you at noon?" He gave her a small smile, before going to her and taking her hand.

"You can count on it, bright eyes." He whispered, pressing a kiss to her cheek. She gave him a small smile as he pulled away. As she turned back to her ipod, he turned back, coming back to her. She turned back to him,

" Do you-" But his mouth on hers soon cut her off as he took hold of her chin. Unlike Zoe's kiss the night before- that was clumsy and awkward, the way first kisses usually were- Zane's was sure and direct. He drank her in slowly, tasting the coffee on her lips, before he gently bit down on her lower lip. When he finally pulled away, it was with a soft kiss to her lips and a soft smile meant only for her. Her dark eyes opened, and she stared at him, feeling slightly drunk from his kiss. She returned his smile.

"I'd better get back to work." He whispered, pulling away, but she grabbed the back of his head, pulling him back to her. Her lips crashed onto his, and she wrapped an arm around his neck, rising on her toes to deepen the kiss as an arm went around her waist, holding her close. They drank each other in, unaware of the figure watching them from the rotunda below.


	15. Chapter 15

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

******Thanks so much to CheekyMonkeeeey for reviewing 13.**

"_Spanish Hot Chocolate_ was always the hardest t'dance, 'cause it's all fouettes and stayin' in Spanish forth. _Arabian Coffee_ is much easier- of all the_ Nutcracker_ dances, it's the only one where you can basically have sex on stage and not get called on it." Zane chuckled, taking a bite of his sandwich. "So it's my first year doing _Hot Chocolate_, and insteada doin' three fouettes, I put my foot down on the floor and trip, face plantin' it onstage, in_ front_ of our openin' night audience. I tripped ova' my own Pointe shoes. So my ass is in the air, facin' the audience and the music stops- lit'rally stops- while I climb to my feet and go back int' the dance. It was the most embarrassin' thing I'd ever done. I was surprised the company didn't fire me then and there!"

"Well you obviously impressed them." He said, as she took a sip of her coffee. She nodded. The lunch rush had calmed down, and Zane and Jo sat in a quiet corner of Cafe Diem, chatting over sandwiches and coffee. The laughter stopped when Zoe entered the cafe with Pilar. Her eyes landed on Jo and Zane, and after a moment, she turned from them, going to the counter. Jo didn't miss the pain in the girl's eyes, and she sighed. "What?" Zane asked, glancing over at the teens. Jo set her sandwich down,

"Zoe kissed me las' night." Zane's eyebrows rose.

"Little Carter kissed you?" She nodded.

"Yeah."

"Huh." Her head snapped up.

"What?"

"Guess she has more of a crush on you than I thought." He replied, sitting back in his chair. She shook her head, glancing at Zoe, who refused to look at her. "Maybe she thought you were-"

'"I'm not. I don't have a problem wit' gays- my best friend's gay and I work wit' them- but I'm not. I like men too much. Besides, even if I was, she's a child. She doesn't know what she wants." Zane shrugged, glancing over at Zoe. "She's jus' confused. She'll know wha' she wants when she gets older." Zane nodded.

"Well, I guess she doesn't like me much then." He said, turning his blue gaze back to Jo. She scoffed softly.

"Guess not." He leaned close to her, reaching out and playing with her fingers.

"Should we head back, so you can... get back to your dancing?" She nodded after a moment, pulling away and getting up. She pulled her dance bag onto her shoulder and grabbed her coffee, going to the door. She turned, to see Zoe watching her, and she took a deep breath, straightening her shoulders and lifting her chin. "Ready?" She nodded. Zane took her hand, lacing their fingers and pressing a kiss to her lips before tugging her gently out the door over to his motorcycle. By the time they returned to GD, all thoughts of Zoe had fled from Jo's mind, and as she stood in the rotunda with Zane, her arms around his waist, him holding her chin as he kissed her, she felt that nothing could dampen her day.

"Zane!" Too late. He ignored the voice, deepening the kiss and pulling her closer, nipping gently on her lower lip. _"Zane!"_

Jo moved to pull away, but he pulled her back. "I'd betta go back t'the gym-"

'"It's not like you're on a timed schedule. You don't have to get back right away."

"Yeah, but she's pretty mad." Jo replied, nodding to something over Zane's chin. He reluctantly pulled away, glancing over his shoulder, a groan escaping his throat.

"God, Allison..." He shook his head, resting his forehead against hers. They only pulled apart when Allison got to them, and after a moment, Jo pulled away, giving him a small smile before hurrying off to the gym. Once she was gone, the older woman turned to Zane.

"What the hell are you doing? Zane!" It took him a few minutes to tear his eyes away from the sight of the young dancer walking away, but when he finally did, it was to turn a goofy grin to the D.O.D liason. She grabbed his arm, pulling him into the hallway; neither noticed as Jo doubled back to get her black wrap from Zane- and upon hearing their voices, slipped into an aclove to listen. "I told you to stay away from her." Allison growled. Zane rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Allison! It was one date! Okay, one date and lunch, and we're going out to dinner again tonight, but that's it. That's all it is! A little harmless fun. Nothing major. Okay?"

"No, Zane, it's not okay. She's an outsider. We don't let outsiders into Eureka." Zane raised an eyebrow.

"Really? We let Carter in." Allison sighed.

'That was different-"

"How is that different?"

"He found this place! Zoe brought Jo here!"

"And I say Eureka is going to be better for it." He said, crossing his arms.

"Zane, leave her alone. If she gets hurt while she's here, or finds out about some of the experiments and then goes back to New York and talks-"

"That won't happen! She's not like that! You're treating her like she's some sort of... spy working for Russia or the Germans! She's a dancer, Allison! A dancer! She's harmless!"

"I don't care if she's as harmless as a feather, Zane. I_ don't want_ you to get involved with her. _Stay away from her._ She won't get hurt and we won't be put at risk. Okay? Zane, am I clear?" He rolled his eyes, and mumbled his consent, as Jo rushed from the hallway, back towards the gym. Once she was within the walls of GD's gym, she cranked her music up and let the tears fall as she danced.


	16. Chapter 16

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

******Thanks to ilovebeingme17 for reviewing 15.**

She kicked her leg up into a fan before going into a pas due bourree, when suddenly a pair of strong arms wrapped around her middle, stopping her. "Do you know how sexy you are when you're dancing?" She turned her head as his lips gently caressed the shell of her ear.

"Shouldn't ya be workin' and stayin' away from me? Like ya promised Dr. Blake?" She asked, bitterness tinging her voice. He started, pulling away from her slightly.

"How do you-" She turned to him.

"I heard, _ev'rything_. I came back t'get my wrap, and heard you two talkin'. She thinks I'm gonna tell someone 'bout the experminents goin' on here? I don't care 'bout the experiments! What I do care 'bout's bein' accused of bein' a spy, or bein' talked 'bout like I'm some common criminal! I'm _not_!" She said, pulling away. He reached for her, but she shoved his hand away, going to her ipod and turning the music off before gathering her things. He sighed.

"Yeah, well, did you hear how I defended you?" He asked, watching as she shifted her dance bag onto her shoulder. She stopped, turning to him. He went to her, taking her hand. "Come on, bright eyes. I'd never throw you under the bus like that. I wouldn't, and I didn't. Okay?" She stared into his eyes, before pulling away and snatching her wrap from his hands. Then, she pushed past him, going to the door.

"I wish I could believe ya." She replied, leaving the gym. Zane sighed; he glanced down at his feet, catching sight of one of her Pointe shoes, laying forgotten on the floor. After snatching it up, he rushed after her.

"Bright eyes! Hey! Bright- Jo!" But by the time he reached the rotunda, she'd disappeared through the doors. He watched the doors close behind her, his gaze going to her Pointe shoe. _How Cinderella..._

A moment passed, before he wound the ribbons around the shoe and headed out of the building. When he looked up next, she'd slammed into him and with a gasp of surprise, she stumbled back. He grabbed her arms, steadying her on her feet. She pulled the headphones out of her ears, taking a deep breath.

"Oh, it's you. Sorry, I just realized-"

"That you forgot one of your Pointe shoes?" He asked, holding it out to her. She nodded, taking it.

"Thanks." She turned to go when Zane grabbed her arm.

"Aren't you going back to the gym?" She shook her head.

"Nah. It... it's evident they don't wan' me here. I'll practice at Sheriff Carter's bunka." She turned to go, pulling away, when Zane called out to her.

"You could... practice at my place. I have all wood floors and... a pretty good sized living room. And you're welcome to whatever's in the kitchen." She stopped, turning back to him, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"You'd let me use your house?" She asked, going back to him. He nodded, hands on his hips. "And you... wouldn't be worried 'bout me stealin' secrets or experiments? Or talkin' once I go back to New York?" He shook his head. "You don't even know me."

"You aren't the type." He replied as she turned to leave. "I'm the type, but you aren't. You're more interested in your dance than science experiments. Besides, you can't lose your place in the company." She stopped, turning back to look at him. "Believe it or not, I listen." A moment passed, before she nodded.

"Okay." She returned to him, holding out a hand. "I'll keep tight t'the key. I promise." He chuckled softly. "What?"

"You may use keys in New York, but we don't use keys in Eureka." She stared at him, confused.

"I don't- _Hey! What the fuck is your problem_?" She snapped, closing her eyes and pulling away from the bright blue light Zane shined in her eyes. She held her hands up, turning her head to the side as she blinked several times to clear the spots. He put the thing in his pocket, before taking her arm and leading her away from GD.

"You'll see." Twenty minutes later, the two stood in front of Zane's house. It was a modest little home, with a nice front yard and a small porch. She raised her eyes, surprised. He turned to her. "What?"

"Nothin'. I jus'... thought ya lived in an apartment. Ya don' strike me as the house type." He glanced at her.

"Just because you probably live in an apartment, doesn't mean I have to." He said, going up the steps. She followed, confused. A moment passed, as he flashed the light into what appeared to be a scanner of some sort. Suddenly, an automated voice spoke up.

"Welcome Miss Lupo." Jo looked around.

"Who was that?" Zane stepped up to the scanner, and once the door opened, pulled her through the door.

"AIDA. The house."

"So... like SARAH." Jo said, looking around. He nodded.

"The kitchen is around the corner, upstairs are the two bedrooms, and the bathroom is down the hall to the left. You're welcome to anything in the kitchen, and anything on the TV. And if you want to use the internet, computer's in the small study." She looked around, shifting her bag on her shoulder.

"Thank you." He nodded, watching her for a moment. As she slowly walked around, he watched her drop her dance bag and pull off her jacket. He watched the muscles of her back contract, saw the hot pink of her sports bra beneath her black tank. The black leggings she wore clung to her body, accenting her thighs. And when she turned to him, the t-shirt she wore fell off her shoulders, the words, "To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak." in curvy script across her chest. A small smile tugged at her lips, and she shrugged. "Thank you, Zane. For lettin' me... use your apartment t'practice." He noddded.

"No problem." He went to her, gently taking her waist and leaning down to brush his lips against hers. When they broke apart, she looked up into his eyes- and before she could say another word, he'd deepened the kiss. They moved back towards the stairs, no longer bothering to fight their attraction.


	17. Chapter 17

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

Chaine, chaine, Échappé, Échappé, soubresaut, glissade, plie, fouettés.

She took a deep breath, becoming lost in her choreography. Her Pointe shoes glided across Zane's kitchen floor, creating a beatuiful design within the shadows and lights being cast on the floor from the overhead. The lyrics to The Band Perry's_ If I Die Young_ filled the house, and she finished the dance, catching her breath as she reached for her water bottle. Taking a seat on the floor, she began untieing the ribbons, going over the choreography in her head. She hissed as she pulled the shoes and toe pads off and stuffed them back in her bag.

"Would you like a cold compress for your feet, Jo? Or perhaps a soak in some epsom salts?" She glanced toward the ceiling.

"No... thank ya... AIDA." She climbed to her feet, looking around the living room before going to the sofa. If she was going to work, she needed more space. The kitchen was fine for Pointe, but lyrical required floor work. Taking a deep breath, she went to the sofa, and began pushing it across the floor. The scraping of the furniture on the floor made her pause and look down; not a scratch mark bruised the floor.

"Do not worry, Jo. My floors are coated with-" She shook her head, letting the science term AIDA threw out go in one ear and out the other. "making them scratch resistant. You will do no damage to Zane's floors." The dancer nodded, thinking.

"Good to know." She replied, returning to her work of moving the furniture. Once the sofa was out of the way, she changed the tune on her ipod and got to work. Instantly, problems arose. Mainly in the form of Zane's coffee table. Two over-the-shoulder rolls in, and she'd smacked her feet on the top of the table, hit the underside with the top of her foot, got a leg caught around a leg of the table, and hit her head. After hitting her head for the second time, she sat back on the floor, contemplating her moves. She could go back to the kitchen and make do, or head back to SARAH. Although- she briefly checked the time, cringing when she realized it was almost two- school would be out soon, and Zoe would be home. And after Jo's 'betrayal', as Zoe so aptly called it, being there when the teen got home from school would just make it that more awkward. At this point, Jo didn't blame her.

So staying here it was. Sighing, she got up, pushing the coffee table out of the way, before turning to the armchair. Better to be safe than sorry. As she began pushing it acrossed the floor to join its partners, AIDA asked,

"What are you doing, Jo?"

"Um... movin' furn'ture." She replied, stopping and leaning on the arm of the chair. The house was silent for a moment.

"Have you required the necessary authorization to be allowed to move furniture within the house?" The young woman turned towards the ceiling.

"What the hella you talkin' 'bout?"

"Has Zane given you permission to move the furniture, Jo?" AIDA asked, exasperated- or, at least what Jo took for exasperated. The young woman stopped, reaching out to play with one of the cushions.

"What?" She glanced skyward. "Oh, right. Yeah. He did." She finished pushing the chair towards the other side of the living room, before going to her ipod and changing the song. She waited a couple minutes as the instrumental started, before going into the dance steps she'd choreographed for the song. A deep breath rushed from her lips as she let the music carry her away.

Side tilt into a pas du bourrees and double pirouette that went into a back arabuseque that slid into a fan before going into an upside down fan as well. She hit the floor, one leg shooting out before she pushed herself up on one arm, her legs sliding out in middle splits. She rolled onto her back, going into an over-the-shoulder roll and climbing to her knees. A toe rise brought her standing again, before she executed a lame duck followed by several fouette turns that slid into a pair of jazz splits. A few more moves later, and she was back to the shoulder roll. As soon as her legs split in the air, Sheriff Carter's voice interrupted her, and she looked up through her hair as she lowered her legs and slid back. "Sh... Sheriff Cart'r. Wh... wha're ya doin' here?" She asked, sitting up. He was silent; he'd gotten there in time to watch her go through her choreography, the girl looked truly happy to be dancing, and with Zane's furniture moved, she had plenty of space.

"Zane told me you were here." She nodded as she climbed to her feet and turned off her music.

"He... said I could... use his floor t'dance." She said, grabbing her water bottle and taking a sip. Carter nodded.

"I can see that you're taking advantage of the space." She blushed. "And... Zane." Her head snapped up, her eyes wide in shock.

"I... no! It... it's not like that! I..."

"Allison told me about you getting involved with Zane-"

"I... it was one date!"

"Which is what it should have stopped at, Jo." She nodded, taking a deep breath.

"I... I know. I jus'... Zoe kissed me aft'r my date wi' Zane and... I don't... I'm not... I know I hurt her... I'm sorry... I jus'... and then I... Zane and I... we slept togeth'r and... he's not like any guy I've ever known... he's... diff'rent, ya know?" She looked up at the sheriff, tears in her eyes. Carter nodded, hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, I know. But that doesn't mean you can get involved with him, and then go back to New York at the end of next week and break his heart. He doesn't deserve that."

"Believe me, I don't wanna! I can't 'magine hurtin' Zane. He sees me for me and... I guess... I jus'... it was nice... bein' jus' Jo for once, instead of a dancer. Like people were lookin' at me for me, not for my dance." Carter sighed, going to the girl and reaching out to brush a stray tear away.

"Oh Jo..." She pulled away, going to her dance bag and putting her shoes into it.

"I und'rstand when I'm not wanted." She replied.

"No one said that, Jo." She stopped, turning to him.

"Dr. Blake did. She thinks I'll talk. I won't. Once I go back t' New York, I'll be so absorbed in my dance, I'll forget all about Eureka. You'll nevah hear from me again. That's a promise." Carter sighed; he knew he shouldn't have confronted Jo like this, but Allison had pushed him. She was a kid, who's only focus was the profession she'd fallen in love with as a child and managed to make a living from. She didn't care about science or terror or biohazards, she cared about people and performing and her dance. She cared about living her life the way she wanted, with whomever she wanted.

As Carter watched her, he realized that he was looking at Zoe- eight years in the future. He already knew about the kiss; the teenager had told him the morning after it happened, and while Carter had at first harbored anger at the young woman for rejecting his daughter, he ultimately understood _why_ Jo had rejected Zoe. The girl was eight years younger than her- a child, really- who had no idea what she wanted out of life. Jo knew what she wanted, and so had rejected Zoe in order to protect the teen. She loved the girl, Carter knew, but as a sister, not a lover, like Zoe had hoped.

"I'm not saying that you have to go back to New York so soon, Jo. You still have... eight days left. We aren't telling you to get the hell out." Jo turned back to him.

"Dr. Blake is-" Carter bristled. He was tired of Allison sticking her nose in where it didn't belong. If Zane and Jo wanted to go out and spend time together, then they could spend time together. The D.O.D. and the fate of the free world would _not_ be compromised by Jo and Zane dating.

"Dr. Blake takes her role as D.O.D. liasion too seriously, Jo. Take her advice with a grain of salt and toss it over your shoulder. Allison is a single mother, with an autistic child and an asshole of an ex-husband who unfortunately works here. She sees her job as the most important thing, and anyone or anything that threatens that needs to be removed. Don't listen to her. Zane doesn't- much. Besides, you two get along well together. And as for Zoe, give her time. She'll get over it. I don't blame you- in fact, thank you. She needed to hear it. I'm just glad it came from you and not me." She chuckled softly, ducking her head. "You okay?" She nodded.

"Yeah. Thanks." He nodded.

"Now, my original visit was to ask if you wanted to join me for lunch. Would you care to grace me with your presence, or are you too much of a ballerina to be seen with the likes of the lowly town sheriff?" She grinned.

"I'm not tha' much of a ballerina. Ya only hit tha' stage at thirty. I gotta few years left b'fore tha' happens. And I would love to join ya for lunch, Sheriff Carter." Grabbing her purse, she took his arm, allowing him to lead her from the house.


	18. Chapter 18

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

"I love playin' the Swan- esp'cially the black swan. There's somethin' so... evil and manipulative about her, but... underneath it all, she just wants t' be loved. It's beautiful, when ya watch it- no matter who's doin' it, it's beautiful." Carter smirked.

"I never got into the theater. I mean, I enjoy going to musicals and plays- because Zoe makes me go, and she just... lights up around it- but other than that. I'm not really a ballet fan." Jo chuckled.

"I think you'd enjoy it, Sheriff." She said, sipping her coffee. She and Carter were enjoying lunch at Cafe Diem; the other patrons would occasionally glance towards the pair.

"So... tell me, Jo, besides Arabian, what's your favorite role to play in_ Nutcracker_?" Carter asked. He expected her to tell him that she couldn't decide, but her answer was quick and precise.

"Next t' Arabian, my otha favorite's Sugar Plum Fairy." He raised his eyebrows.

"Seriously?" She nodded. "Why?" She glanced around.

"How 'bout I show ya insteada tellin' ya?" She slipped out of her shoes, turning to Vincent. "Um... Do you have_ Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy_ on the jukebox?" She asked. Vincent nodded.

"I have the whole soundtrack if you want it. But I only play it at Christmas, why?" She held up a finger.

"You'll see." And she slipped off the stool, going to the jukebox. Quickly, other patrons moved the tables out of the way, giving her room to work. She pressed a button on the jukebox and let the familiar Christmas tune carry her away. Having understudied the role of Sugar Plum Fairy in the last year's _Nutcracker,_ she knew the steps by heart, and those in the cafe watched as the young dancer became carried away with the music. She didn't notice Zane enter the cafe, or Zoe and Pilar moments later. The cafe was silent, save for the music and Jo's feet on the floor. As she went into a circle of chaines and priouettes, she forgot that she was demonstrating in a cafe, clear across the country, for complete strangers. She was just a girl, becoming lost in her dance.

When the music ended and she stopped, it was to applause that nearly deafened her. A blush crept into her cheeks as she thanked them and returned to Carter's side. "See?" He nodded, holding his coffee up to her in a toast. She grinned, going to take a seat-

"That was... wow." She turned, to see Zane and Zoe watching her. "You are... amazing. You know that?" She grinned at him, going to him and letting him wrap her in a hug. She accepted his kiss, before seeing Zoe rush from the cafe. Quickly, Jo pulled away from Zane.

"Zoe!" She went back to the counter, slipping into her shoes and grabbing her purse when her cell rang. She opened it with a puzzled, "Hey Kit... woah, slow down. Wha'? No. Ya... ya can't be... okay. I... I'll call James on webcam as soon as I get back t' the bunker. Thanks for... lettin' me know..." She hung up, tears in her eyes.

"What is it?" Zane asked. Jo looked up at him, tears sliding down her cheeks.

"They demol'shed our studio. We have nowhere to pract'ce now." She grabbed her things, rushing from the cafe. "Will you excuse me? Thanks for lunch, Sheriff." He nodded, as she disappeared out the door. Thirty minutes later, Jo was curled up on her bed in the bunker, her laptop on the bed in front of her. "Hey James."

"Glad you could make it, JL." She nodded. He'd called the company together to discuss what they were going to do now, and with Jo on webcam, could finally start. "By now, you've all heard the news. The... city has condemned our studio and is going to demolish it Monday morning. Which means we will have to find another studio." They bounced ideas off each other for four hours, getting nowhere.

"So that should be easy, right?" Ash asked. "There's hundreds of studios in New York-"

"But we can't afford t' rent one- not if you all still want t' get paid. We'd be betta off building our own." James said. Jo listened to the arguments, occasionally putting her two cents in, but for the most part, remaining quiet. Eventually though, she spoke up.

"I... I'll book the nex' flight back to NYC." She climbed off the beg, going to her dresser.

"Now hold on, JL. No need to jump t' conclusions." She turned, going back to the bed and sitting on the edge.

"I ain't jumpin' to conclusions, James! You need me back there! I should be there, instead of out here!" James sighed.

"There's not much you can do, JL. Stay, and we'll all see ya after next week. 'Kay? In the meantime I'll... try to figure out how we can raise money for our own studio." After they signed off, Jo laid back on her bed, groaning in frustration. Minutes passed, before she got up, grabbing her phone and her dance bag. She put a few things in it, before rushing from the room and going downstairs. When she knocked on Zane's door fifteen minutes later, it was raining and she was soaked.

"Hey, what's wrong, bright eyes?" She took a deep breath.

"It's all fallin' 'part." She choked out. He pushed the door open, pulling her inside. Once the door shut behind her, he went upstairs and grabbed a towel, coming back downstairs and giving it to her. She gave him a small smile.

"Now, say it again. What's falling apart?" He asked as they sat on the sofa. She dried a few strands of her hair before saying,

"The city demol'shed our studio. We've nowhere t' pract'ce."

"I'm so sorry, Jo-" She gave him a small smile. They talked for several minutes, before she leaned over. Their lips met in a gentle kiss, and when they broke apart, she whispered,

"Take me upstairs. Please."


	19. Chapter 19

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

Jo spent the weekend at Zane's- when she did see Zoe, the teen refused to look at her, let alone talk to her. She spent her time dancing in Zane's living room, working on choreography, and her early evenings on webcam with the others, trying to find a solution to the problem. At night, she and Zane made love- it was during on intense session that he whispered those three little words softly in her ear. She'd kissed him in return. By the time Tuesday rolled around, Jo couldn't take the silence, and so confronted Zoe.

After searching for her, first.

"We don't get springs like this in New York. Or in Jersey." The teen shifted away from her, pulling her knees to her chest. Jo took a deep breath. "Zoe, I'm sorry I hurt ya. But, ya hav't und'rstand- jus' 'cause I don't swing that way doesn't mean I don't care 'bout ya. I love ya, Zoe. You're like a lil' sister to me." The teen sniffled.

"Well I... I love you, Jo." She choked out. "I have since we met. And I... I hoped you... felt the same way... I guess I was wrong..." Jo sighed, brushing a strand of hiar out of her eyes.

"Zoe, I never meant to hurt ya. Ya have t' und'rstand that." The girl pulled away, turning to her.

"I understand! I understand that you hurt me, that you broke my heart and lied behind my back! I understand that you let Zane close while shoving me away! I understand that you care more about your dance than other people, and that you're the most selfish, concieted person in the entire world! I thought we got along, Jo! I thought you were my friend! I guess I was wrong. So why don't you just go back to New York where you belong."

The dancer swallowed, struggling to keep the tears from falling. "Well, ya don't 'ave t' worry 'bout seein' me after t'morrow, Zoe. I'm leavin'. Catchin' the first flight to La Guardia and... goin' home." She took a deep breath. "And then, I... I guess it'll be... lookin' for work since we don't have the studio anymore."

Zoe's gaze snapped back to Jo. "What did you say?" Jo turned to her.

"James called last week. The city demol'shed our studio t'day. So we're lookin' for a new place. If we can't find or build one, the company'll disband. I can't 'ave that. I worked too hard... t' have it all... t' lose_ everythin'_..." Zoe watched as tears slid down Jo's cheeks, her mouth dropping open as the young dancer fell apart. Clearly the loss of her studio- of her very livelyhood and life- had shaken her to the core. A moment passed, before she reached out to rub Jo's back, but the dancer got up at the contact and fled.

Three hours later, Zoe entered Jo's room; the young woman was on the bed, silent. She'd spent two hours crying about the injustice of destroying the arts. "Um, Jo?" The woman looked up. "I'm sorry about what I said. I was... jealous. And hurt and... and I... I should have been more understanding. I'm sorry." Jo nodded, giving her a small smile. "I was acting like a child. I... I wanted you for myself but... I didn't see that you weren't interested." The dancer sighed, sitting up. "I... I can tell that... that you and Zane... that you make... a beautiful couple..." Zoe blinked the tears away. Jo nodded, tucking a strand of hair away.

"It's okay. It's not your fault- I'm just as at fault as you. If not more." Zoe cocked her head.

"Why are you at fault, Jo?" The dancer shrugged.

"I led ya on. I shouldn't 'ave." A moment passed before Zoe took a seat on the bed.

"It's not just you, Jo. I... I didn't know any better. I... I was stupid. I'm sorry." Jo reached out, taking her hand.

"It's 'kay. We were both... ridiculous."

"Still friends?" Zoe asked shyly. Jo opened her arms to the girl without hesitation, a smile on her face.

"Of course." The teen scrambled into her friend's arms, breathing her in. Zoe held close to her, before asking,

"So, what are you going to do now?" Jo shrugged.

"I d'know. Go back t' New York, I guess. Help either try t' find a place or raise money t' build a new studio-"

"You know, Eureka could use a dance studio- and a dance teacher." Zoe turned her gaze towards Jo, who thought a moment, licking her lips. "You could bring a little culture to this town." Jo shook her head.

"No. I... I'm sorry, Zoe, but... I can't. I don't b'long here, Zoe. I b'long in New York. I'd never fit in here-"

"That doesn't matter, Jo. Zane likes you." Jo pulled away.

"But how long b'fore he realizes tha' we're from complet'ly diff'rent worlds? or b'fore he realizes tha' I'm not brilliant? It would nev'r work b'tween us, Zoe. It was fun while it lasted, but... in the end, we're bett'r off 'part." Zoe sighed, pressing a kiss to Jo's temple.

"Give him a chance, Jo. Then you'll see." And then she was gone, heading downstairs to work on her homework. Jo sighed, curling up on her bed, becoming lost in her thoughts. Minutes passed, before she checked her flight tickets, and then climbed off the bed. She quietly packed her bags, and then grabbed a change of clothes and her dance bag. With a quick, "Going to be at Zane's working on Pointe," she was out the door. Twenty minutes later, Zane opened his front door to Jo standing on the porch.

"Can I come in, Zane? Please?"


	20. Chapter 20

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

Zane watched her chaine around the living room. After helping her move the furniture, he'd disappeared downstairs to get something he'd been working on in the lab in his basement. When he came back up, she was doing Pointe work the waltz from_ Sleeping Beauty_, gliding across the floor as though she were on nothing but air, her features calm and serene, her arms graceful and soft. Her feet worked nonstop- she didn't even look like she was thinking about what steps came next. Zane took a seat on the arm chair, watching her dance. Suddenly, the waltz from _Sleeping Beauty_ slid into the waltz from _Swan Lake_, and he looked up, to see her executing several pirouettes. With a small smile, Zane returned to his work, glancing up every so often to watch Jo dance.

_Waltz of the Flowers_ slid into _The March_, and on his way to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee, Zane watched Jo skip about en Pointe, her arms held out in graceful lines. He jumped at the familiar notes of_ Russian Trepak_, and turned to see Jo pas de basqueing, hands on her hips. She then went up on sous sous, before going into a chaine. Her chaine then flowed into a circle of pirouettes. She chassed back towards him and went up on arabesque, arms up straight, a smile on her face before she turned and repeated the move away from him.

He watched her dance, noticing how light and almost... playful her dancing was. What he didn't notice was her coming towards him; he was able to set his cup down just as she grabbed his shoulders. Somehow, someway, he figured out to grab her waist as she jumped to the other side. A smile lit her face and she mouthed a hasty thank you before spinning off and returning to the dance. He nodded to her, before grabbing his cup and slipping back to the armchair. When the dance finally ended, she dropped to the floor, feet out in front of her. She sucked in deep, gasping gulps of air in an attempt to slow her racing heart. He got up, going to her.

"You okay?" She nodded.

"Lemme... catch..." Instead of accepting his hand, she laid back. Zane chuckled softly, before laying down beside her.

"For the record, you looked gorgeous doing all that." She snorted, laughing.

"Thank you, Zane." He nodded, turning to look at her. She met his eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips. A moment passed, before she reached out, gently running her fingers along his jawline, before tracing his nose and lips.

As her fingers brushed gently over his bottom lip, he pressed a kiss to the soft skin, before moving down and kissing her palm. She smiled softly at him as he moved from kissing her palm to kissing the webbing between her fingers. Her dark eyes watched as he moved his lips to her wrist; he sucked gently on her pulse, leaving a lingering kiss before pulling her close and capturing her lips. He tangled his fingers in her hair, holding her head steady as he deepened the kiss; she grabbed a fistful of his shirt, pressing her body against his. He wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her against him, fingers going from her tiny waist to gently caress her ass.

She pulled him close, tugging his shirt off his body, and he followed, undressing her. The music of_ The Nutcracker_ continued to play throughout the house as they made love on the living room floor. When their breathing returned to normal and they relaxed against each other, she whispered,

"I'm gonna miss this. Us." He gave her a small smile, nudging his nose against hers.

"Then stay." He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, and she pulled away.

"Zane, I... I can't do tha'. I can't stay."

"Why not?" He asked, as she got up, grabbing her clothes and quickly getting dressed. He pulled his clothes back on, watching as she adjusted the straps of her bra before pulling on her t-shirt.

"B'cause."

"That's not an answer, Jo." He replied. She pulled off her Pointe shoes, stuffing them back into her dance bag, and then climbed to her feet, grabbing her things. She stormed towards the door, silent. "Jo!" He grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Tell me. Why can't you stay?" She sighed, turning back to him. She pulled away from him, opening the door, and going out onto the porch, but he chased after her. "Jo! Stop!" She was halfway to the sidewalk when she stopped. Eyes closed, she swallowed, taking a deep breath before turning back. "Please Jo, just tell me. Tell me why you can't stay in Eureka." She bit her lip, taking a step towards her.

"B'cause the comp'ny_ needs me_. B'cause my_ life_ is back in New York, and I can't jus' drop it t' stay here. B'cause I_ don't b'long_ here. B'cause they wouldn't accept me if I did stay. B'cause _no one_ in Eureka trains t' be a ballerina, Zane." She stared into his eyes, hoping against hope that he'd understand and let her go. Instead, he rushed to her, wrapping her in his arms and capturing her lips in a deep kiss that tried to convey everything he felt for her.

She draped a hand around his neck, playing gently with the hair at the nape of his neck, as he melded her body to his. She drank him in, wanting to remember everything about him before she caught her flight at four tomorrow morning. When she finally pulled away, it was with a gentle kiss to his lips and a whispered, "I'll be seein' ya, Zane." Then, she pulled away, even as he held onto her hand. When she finally let go, and headed down the sidewalk, she cast one last glance his way before disappearing down the street.


	21. Chapter 21

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

"Jo, you want coffee?" Carter turned back towards the stairs. "Jo? SARAH's made bacon and eggs- I know you aren't supposed to have them because of your diet and all, but I won't tell if you won't." He waited. "Jo?"

"Dad, what's wrong?" He looked up to see Zoe come down the stairs in her pajamas.

"Zoe, did you see Jo upstairs?" The teen shook her head.

"No, but... she usually goes for a run about this time, why?" Carter thought a moment, before rushing up the stairs. "Dad? Where are you going?" Carter ignored her, hurrying down the hall. When he burst into the guest room, he found the bed made, the drawers empty and her luggage gone. "Dad-" Zoe stopped in the doorway, confused. "What happened? Where's Jo? Where's her stuff?" Carter shook his head.

"I don't know, Zoe." The teen backed out of the room, rushing back to her room. She flopped onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling. As she reached to pull a pillow into her hands, she heard something rustle and sat up. Picking up the pillow, she found a folded piece of paper. Slowly, she picked it up, the feel of something solid sliding into her hand.

Sitting within her palm was a keychain- a simple, pink Pointe shoe keychain, and hanging from the keychain were four words spelled vertically-_ Dream, Passion, Believe, Dance_.

She choked out a sob, realizing that the keychain could only have come from Jo. A moment passed, before she tore her eyes away from the simple gift, towards the letter Jo had left. Her eyes began to fill with tears, and soon, the words began to blur.

_Zoe,_

_I know this is sudden, and I know that my leaving without a good explanation or a goodbye is horrible of me to do, but I'm needed back in New York. I had a wonderful nine days here in Eureka, and despite everything- my getting involved with Zane, our fight, everything- I wouldn't trade a single thing. It was wonderful, and I wish I could have stayed longer, but the company needs me. My life depends on the company, and theirs depends on me._

_I spent most of last night thinking about what you'd said, and I realized something. I found my passion when I was just a child, and like you said, I make other people feel the same passion I do. For years, I danced because I wanted to entertain, I never danced for myself; it was always to please someone else- my parents, my brothers, my instructors, my dance partners. I needed to figure out _why _I was dancing, and honestly, there was a brief period in the last week where I began to wonder if this career was worth it. And you know what? I have my answer._

_Being away from the company this last week and a half, has made me see that the work I do was keeping me from living life. I love what I do- don't get me wrong- but before this week, I'd only ever... lived, never experienced. I never let myself take the hip hop classes, I always stuck with ballet, if that makes any sense._

Zoe chuckled. It did make sense, oddly enough.

_But you and Zane and Eureka have opened my eyes, allowing me to see that my passion is my living. That passion is what has made me such a success in the company, and what's carried me through the most trying times in my life. I turned to dance after my mom died, when my brother was wounded in war, when my grandparents were killed in a car crash- dance has gotten me through the nights when the stage lights go out, and the nights when the stage lights burn brightest. Dance is the reason you and I have gotten along so well through the penpal program. It's not hard to imagine you being a closet dance lover. Maybe you should come to New York and take a couple classes; you never know, you might find your passion. _

_I hope we will still keep in touch, and maybe you can come spend a few days in New York with me again. You're a very special girl, Zoe, and you have a heart of gold. You just need to to wait for the right person to come along, you need to believe that you'll find your passion and your calling, and dreams to get you through your darkest hours. And always remember to dance. Remember that, Zo. Follow it, forever. It will never lead you astray, trust me. Dream, Passion, Believe, Dance._

_You've become a little sister to me, and know that I love you and I always will. You have a piece of my heart, Zoe, be careful with it; it's fragile. Tell your dad goodbye for me, and I'll talk to you soon, Z. Remember, Dream, Passion, Believe, Dance._

_Love, Jo_

"Zoe?" She looked up, to see Carter in the doorway to her room. "Where'd you get the keychain?" He asked, joining her on the bed. She handed him the letter.

"Jo left it for me. She's gone." The teen sniffled, reaching up to wipe at the tears on her cheeks. Silently, Carter's eyes skimmed the letter, before he wrapped Zoe in a hug. Several minutes passed, before Carter got up.

"Come on, let's go get lunch. We can talk about this over food." Twenty minutes later, the two Carters were sitting at the counter, talking softly about Jo's sudden flight from Eureka, when Zane entered. He spotted Zoe and Carter, and wandered over to them; it was evident he was searching for Jo. The look on Zoe's face told him everything

"She left, Zane. Went back to New York." The teen sniffled, sipping her coffee. Carter caught the dejected look on Zane's face, before,

"Go get her." Both turned to look at him. "Zane, if you love her- and you obviously do- then go get her. Bring her home."


	22. Chapter 22

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

"You ready, JL?" She turned, James stood behind her. She nodded. "You'll do great." He squeezed her shoulder before moving away and talking to someone on his headset. She ignored the music as the dancers onstage captivated the audience, and turned to check on her makeup and hair. Taking a deep breath, she whispered,

"You'll do fine. Just bring what you felt in Eureka to this dance tonight... and with a little luck, we'll have enough money for a new studio and the company won't have to disband."

"If that happens, you can always teach dance in Eureka." Her head snapped up; her eyes locked on Zane's in the mirror, and she felt her breath catch. This wasn't real. She'd left him and their love affair in Eureka four days prior, she couldn't be thinking about the man who's heart she'd broken, not when she was about to go onstage. Slowly, she turned around, to find him standing behind her in a nice suit, a hand in his pocket.

"Z... Zane?" He gave her a small smile. "Wh... wha're ya doin' here?"

He shrugged, stepping towards her. A moment passed between them, before he let his eyes roam over her figure, taking in the two piece lyrical costume she wore. The purple and silver skirt- part handkerchief and part mini skirt- clung to her hips, and the silver and purple bra top clung to her, accenting her small bust. Her black hair was pulled back in a sophisticatedly messy bun, and her bangs were braided and tucked into the wild curls. Her make up was subtle flashes of silver and purple, and she wore tan paws on her feet- the typical footwear worn for lyrical dances. All in all, she looked-

"Wow, Mama." She blushed, ducking her head quickly.

"Ya gotta problem?" He chuckled.

"Yeah, weak knees. You look-" She waited, remembering that this exact conversation had happened on their first date.

"Good?" She offered, stepping towards him. He shook his head.

"Uh-huh. Great." He whispered. She grinned, a light blush beginning in her cheeks, making her dark eyes light up.

"Thank you." She tilted her head back as he leaned down, his breath gently caressing her lips.

"I missed you, bright eyes." She scoffed.

"Ya came clear 'cross the country t' tell me that?" He shook his head, reaching out to caress her waist.

"No. I came to tell you that I want you to come back to Eureka with me." She pulled away from him; his fingers suddenly felt empty without her warmth close by. She shook her head, the loose strands of her hair brushing against her cheeks.

"I... I can't, Zane. My life is here. I... I'm sorry, but... I can't." She heard the last notes of the music of the group before her, and pulled away from Zane. "I'm sorry, I 'ave t' go." And without a backwards glance, she rushed onstage. He watched her move into place and freeze, waiting for her music to start.

"Have you seen JL's dance yet?"

"No, but I bet it's amazin'. Her choreo alw'ys is." He turned, to see a couple of the other dancers behind him, watching her. Kit glanced at the young scientist, giving him a soft smile. "JL's pretty amazin', ain't she?" She asked, as the music began and Jo started dancing. Zane nodded.

"More than amazing. Extraordinary." He turned back, his eyes transfixed on Jo as she danced about the stage. He forced himself to listen to the lyrics of the music, even as his eyes followed Jo.

She backed up towards the edge of the stage, her back to the audience, before she fanned out, turning towards the audience and rising into a tilt. Her extentions were long and perfect, as she went from a tilt into a series of quick chaines before stretching out her foot into a rond de jambe. With the first words of the beginning verse, she stumbled forward, going into several pirouettes before rond de jambeing out of them and falling to the side, catching herself as she leaned to the left. She pas due bourreed once, before going into a few fouette turns.

_"This is the way you left me._  
_I'm not pretending._  
_No hope, no love, no glory,_  
_No happy ending._  
_This is the way that we love,_  
_Like it's forever._  
_Then live the rest of our lifes,_  
_But not together._

_Wake up in the morning,_  
_Stumble on my life._  
_Can't get no love without sacrifice._  
_If anything should happen,_  
_I guess I wish you well._  
_Mmh, A little bit of heaven,_  
_But a little bit of hell."_

She stopped, leaning forward, her profile to the audience as she reached out towards Zane. Then, she jumped into a grande jete before going into a fan kick and a switch leg jump. Zane watched her from the wings, suddenly undestanding why Jo loved to dance so. She seemed to become the music; she became the brush that painted the story she was telling.

_"This is the hardest story that I've ever told._  
_No hope, no love, no glory._  
_A happy endings gone forever more._  
_I feel as if I'm wasted,_  
_And I'm wasted everyday._

_This is the way you left me._  
_I'm not pretending._  
_No hope, no love, no glory,_  
_No happy ending._  
_This is the way that we love,_  
_Like its forever._  
_Then live the rest of our life,_  
_But not together."_

"Who sings this?" He asked softly, turning to Kit. The woman thought a moment, before,

"Mika. He's an artist." Zane nodded, turning back to watch the woman he loved dance. He watched as Jo hit the floor without making a sound, before she went into an over-the-shoulder roll, her legs in a perfect ninety degree angle before coming back together. She leaned on her side, unfurling her leg in the air, before sitting up and rolling her head. Then, she pushed herself up into a jazz split, before rolling over and sitting up on her knees. She leaned back, touching the floor with one hand, reaching for the ceiling with the other, before going into a toe rise and falling into a series of complicated chaines, pirouettes, and fouette turns.

_"Two o'clock in the morning,_  
_Something's on my mind._  
_Can't get no rest,_  
_Keep walking around._  
_If I pretend that nothing ever went wrong_  
_I can get to my sleep_  
_I can think that we just carried on._

_This is the hardest story that I've ever told._  
_No hope, or love, or glory._  
_A happy endings gone forever more._  
_I feel as if I'm wasted,_  
_And I'm wasted everyday."_

As Zane watched her, he realized that several of the moves she was doing he remembered seeing her do in Eureka. Without him realizing it, she'd spent the whole week and a half that she'd been in Eureka, choreographing this dance, to this song. He thought the song sounded familiar; she'd been dancing to it one afternoon in the gym when he'd stopped by to watch her.

She went into a double stag, her gaze catching his out of the corner of her eye, and as she rolled on the stage, sitting up and reaching out for him, he felt compelled to go to her, but forced himself to stay back. No, he'd go to her when she got offstage- if she wanted him to. He sighed. He came here to get her to see reason, to get her to see that he'd fallen in love with her, and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He just hoped she'd understand.

_"This is the way you left me, (Oh I feel as if I'm wasted)_  
_I'm not pretending._  
_No hope, no love, no glory,_  
_No happy ending._  
_This is the way that we love, (And I'm wasted everyday)_  
_Like its forever._  
_Then live the rest of our life,_  
_But not together._

_Little bit of love_  
_(repeating)_  
_I feel as if I'm wasted_  
_And I'm wasted everyday"_

She reached out, bringing her leg up to posse, leaning to the right, before falling into several chaines and then jumping into a small leap. A pencil turn soon took her right around and brought her back to face the audience. She jumped into a front cabriole, before becoming lost in several piques. Her foot came out from under her- like it was supposed to- and she rolled onto her back, lifting her legs and circling her hips before sitting up. As she glanced towards the wings, her gaze locked with Zane's and suddenly, her entire world stopped. A moment passed, as she got up, chaineing into the wings briefly before going into a donkey kick and jeteing across the stage.

_"This is the way you left me._  
_I'm not pretending._  
_No hope, no love, no glory,_  
_No happy ending._  
_This is the way that we love,_  
_Like its forever._  
_Then live the rest of our life,_  
_But not together._

_This is the way you left me._  
_I'm not pretending._  
_No hope, no love, no glory,_  
_No happy ending..."_

Though her body continued to dance, she completely forgot everything but the feel of Zane's eyes on her, and as she finally looked up from her final position- sitting on the stage, feet flat on the floor, knees bent, arms over her knees, she suddenly realized what the dance had meant. As she climbed to her feet admist thunderous applause, she glanced back into the wings. With a quick bow, she rushed offstage, only to be engulfed in her friends' and collegues' arms. She hastily thanked them all, before slowly moving back towards her dressing room. Her gaze landed on who she'd hoped would be there waiting for her. "Wow. That was... extraordinary, bright eyes."

She blushed, going to him. "Thank ya." He pulled something out from behind his back- a single red rose. Slowly, she reached out to take it, burying her nose in the flower, before going to her purse and pulling something out- the rose from their first date. She'd sprayed it with hairspray before bed that night, and wrapped it in the soft cotton of her wrap, leaving it overnight. The rose was perfectly intact, full and as red as ever.

"You... you kept it?" He asked, she nodded.

"Yeah. I... I wanted somethin' t' rem'mber ya by when I came back t' New York." He smiled softly to her as he took a step towards her.

"Jo-" She turned away.

"Zane-"

"Just... hear me out, okay?" She kept quiet. "You... you changed my life- in a week. I fell in love with you, I admit it. And... when you left, I felt like I lost my heart. But... watching you out there- seeing you dance- truly dance for that audience- made me realize that... that I can't take you away from this. Your were right, this is your life. You'd never be happy in Eureka, no matter how much I tried to make it feel like home for you. You'd always feel cheated out of your life, and I... I love you too much to do that to you. I can't."

He took a deep breath, tears in his eyes. "I love you, Jo, but I know now that I have to let you go. You belong to New York and the company, and I can't take you away from that. No matter what future we might have had- I can't take you away from the one you have here. It's too important. You said it yourself, you would never belong- no one trains to be a ballerina in Eureka. And as... much as it hurts, I have to accept it. Goodbye, Jo." He turned to go, but she grabbed his arm, pulling him back to her. "Wh-"

She silenced him with a deep, passionate kiss that filled his soul and mended his heart. He wrapped his arms tight around her waist, drinking her in, wanting to remember her when he returned to Eureka. Eventually, they pulled apart, and she licked her lips. "Yes." She played with the buttons of his shirt, as he pulled away to stare into her eyes.

"Yes what?" She looked up at him through her lashes.

"Yes, Zane. My answa' is yes. It was always yes." He stared at her, confused. "Zane, I love ya. And I... wanna spend the res' of my life wi' ya in Eureka." Moments passed, before he finally understood what she was saying.

"You... you want to..." She nodded. "But... but what about-" She shrugged.

"I spend mosta my time on tour anyway. Besides, I could use a couple weeks to catch up on my rest." She grinned at him, and he found himself grinning back.

"I love you, Jo." She grinned against his mouth.


	23. Chapter 23

******Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

******A/N: And here's the final chapter of_ Fireflies_. My muse finally decided on a good ending for this story; I'm just surprised it's not fifty chapters long!**

"And chaine, chaine, Échappé, Échappé, glissade, jete, pas du bourree, pirouette- doubles if ya can, if not, stick t' singles- fan kick, sous sus turn, double fan kick, sous sous. Okay?"

The students all nodded their consent with a murmured, "Yes Miss Josie," as their instructor went to the stereo and turned on the music. She counted out the beats, watching as her students went about executing the dance steps. A hand slowly moved down to caress her belly, and she chuckled softly as she felt the baby kick against her palm. Her gaze moved down to her stomach, and she shook her head.

"'nother few days, and you'll be here. You'll getta watch 'em dance, and maybe teach 'em all a thing or two, huh, little one?" She looked up at the soft giggling, to find her students watching her. "Somethin' wrong?" They all shook their heads, before one of the older girls spoke up.

"Is she going to be a dancer, Miss Josie?" A moment passed, before the older woman nodded.

"She already is." She replied, gently rubbing her stomach. She had begged Allison to allow her keep teaching- and hand finally stopped dancing just weeks earlier- as long as she promised to stay off her feet. And so she settled in a chair, instructing her students with a look in her eye that told them that she was planning on making sure her daughter followed their example. When class ended thirty minutes later, the students all waved goodbye, finally giving her time to herself as they went out to the lobby to wait for or leave with their parents.

"They really love you, you know that, bright eyes?" She looked up, to see her husband leaning against the doorway. A smile tugged at her lips, and she held out her hands. He went to her, helping her to her feet and holding her close.

"I thought ya were at work, Zane?" He sighed.

"Got off early. Had a feeling you'd need me." She cocked her head. Since their wedding a year earlier, Jo had gone back and forth from Eureka to New York. The company had unfortunately disbanded, leaving the dancers without a livelyhood. Jo, of course, had returned to Eureka with Zane, and had brought up the possiblity of a dance school for the kids. Overwhelming support for the young dancer had flowed in, and by their wedding day, the town had built a dance studio, with students eager to learn. Jo had taught happily for months up to and after her pregnancy was confirmed, and had finally stopped dancing just days earlier.

"I don't-" She stopped, her hands going to her belly.

"Jo? Sweetheart, what is it?" He turned to her. She opened her mouth to speak, before she heard the sounds of water hitting the hardwood dance floor.

"Zane... take me t' the... infirmary, and call Allison. My water just broke." Despite her being in the midst of labor, she was surprisingly calm in regards to what was going on. He grabbed her dance bag and helped her through the lobby and out to the car. Several parents and students turned to watch, and their quiestions were drowned out by Jo's hurried response of, "When I tell you t' call Allison and tell her I'm in labor, I mean _now, not an hour_ from _now_!"

She went through six grueling hours of labor, before finally hearing her daughter's wail. When she looked up next, it was to Allison holding a swaddled bundle out to her, a soft smile on her face. "Here's your daughter, Jo." She took the baby, cradling the full six pounds, eight ounces that was her precious daughter. The baby turned her head as Jo reached out and gently traced her cheekbones, her blue eyes opening to stare at her mother.

"She 'as her daddy's eyes." She whispered softly, turning when she felt her husband settle beside her on the bed. Zane pressed a kiss to her forehead, never taking his eyes off the baby in his wife's arms. They settled into silence for several minutes, before he whispered,

"You have some visitors, bright eyes." The couple turned, to see the kids from Jo's ballet class watching from around the curtain. They all waited silently to be invited in, and as Jo shifted, she gave them all a soft smile.

"Hey." She nodded for them to come in, and they did, slowly gathering around the bed their teacher was in. "Wha're ya all doin' here?" One of the older girls bit her lip.

"You went into labor. We were worried. Our parents brought us." Jo nodded, turning to Zane. He gave her a small smile.

"And you were worried that you wouldn't belong here." He whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple. She scoffed gently, returning her gaze to the baby in her arms. She reached up, gently rubbing her thumb over her daughter's tiny hand; the baby grabbed her thumb, her tiny fingers barely wrapping around her mom's. The kids all giggled softly, as Zane beamed with pride. "She knows who her mama is."

Jo glanced up at him, a smile lighting her face. "What's her name?" The new parents turned to the younger girl who'd spoken. Jo bit her lip, glancing at her husband.

"Nadia." She whispered, glancing at Zane. "Nadia Donovan." He silently mouthed the words, a smile lighting his features.

"It's perfect for our little dancer." Jo glanced down at her daughter, staring into her small face. The black hair on her head just made her blue eyes pop all the more, and Jo felt herself falling more and more in love, for the third time in her life. After the kids left, Jo finally let the exhaustion catch up with her, and the last image her dark eyes landed on as she began to drift to sleep, was of Zane, cradling their daughter, swaying gently back and forth with her in his arms as he hummed. She sighed in contentment as she drifted off to sleep, telling herself that she needed to thank Zoe for writing to her those two years earlier. Because without Zoe, her family would never have existed.


End file.
